BALTIMORE — Gun sales are booming in Maryland.

The Baltimore Sun reported Monday that Maryland has seen a more than 76% spike in background checks this year compared to last year.

This number doesn’t represent the number of actual gun sales.

But it’s a sign of the growing demand for firearms.

Georgia State University professor Timothy Lytton said gun sales traditionally spike when a Democrat might win the White House.

The prospect increases fears of more gun control.

Carroll County gun store owner Dan Hartman said the sales increase is also due to the uncertainty people feel about coronavirus pandemic as well as frequent protests in major cities.