Both the number of Minnesotans licensed to carry a gun, and the number of licensed firearm carriers who committed crimes, grew to record levels in 2020, according to state data.
Last year, sheriff's offices across the state issued 96,554 permits to carry, up from 51,404 in 2019, according to data from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
The record set in 2020 also surpassed the previous five-year high of 71,156 permits, set in 2016.