Columbus, Georgia sees big increase in gun ownership with rise in crime

Spate of recent crimes in city has increased local gun purchases

"nursing student and mother of two, she long resisted her husband Mike's request that she buy a handgun for protection. But after reading about Columbus' 24th homicide this year, she conceded.

"I was trying to explain to him, 'No no I'm supposed to be in the heal, help field,' " Wendy Laney said. "That's kind of a contradiction there. But he said, 'Well, you know if it comes to you or somebody else...,' and I said, 'Yeah, you've got a point.' " . . .