Sales of bulletproof backpacks have reportedly skyrocketed following the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
The CEO of Leatherback Gear, Mike De Geus, indicated his company has seen a whopping 800 percent increase in sales of their bulletproof backpacks since the shooting occurred on Tuesday, the Daily Caller reports.
The majority of his sales are for an enhanced backpack called the Sport One Jr., which has the capability of being separated into two pieces to create a bulletproof vest that covers the front and back of the user’s body.
De Geus has served as a Secret Service agent for Presidents Donald Trump, Barack Obama, George Bush, and Bill Clinton, and said the backpacks offer protection that is equal in quality to what he used while on the job.
“People react and seek out something to make them feel safer after the fact,” chief operating officer at Leatherback Gear Julie McCuen said.
”While we wish that this wasn’t something we as parents needed to think about, recent history reveals that it is very much a threat to our children that we need to take seriously and make every attempt to be proactive about,” McCuen continued. “Just as we educate and prepare our children in school for what to do in the event of a fire, we now must do the same for an active shooter.”
Other manufacturers are also reportedly seeing a spike in sales, including Steve Naremore’s company TuffyPacks. He said he has seen a 300 percent increase for armor inserts that can be put into any bag.
