Washington County Issues Record Number Of Gun Permits In 2020

WASHINGTON COUNTY, MN—Washington County issued 5,679 gun permits in 2020, a record high compared to numbers in prior years, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety announced in a news release Monday. The Department of Public Safety puts out an annual Permit to Carry Report.

In Minnesota overall, 96,554 permits were issued-nearly double 51,404, the number of permits issued in 2019, the report said.

Five counties topped the list for most permits issued in 2020. Washington County came in fifth place behind Hennepin, Dakota, Anoka, and Ramsey counties, the report said.

In Minnesota overall, the report said that people with permits committed 3,110 crimes in 2020. Of those crimes:

• Firearms were used to further less than two percent of crimes.
• Over 51 percent of the crimes committed were DWIs or other traffic offenses.
• 30 percent of crimes fell into the "other" category which includes city ordinance violations, and DNR hunting, fishing, and recreational vehicle violations.

As of March 1, the Department of Public Safety said that Minnesotans possess a total of 358,897 valid permits.

You can read the full report here.