INLAND EMPIRE - (INT) - Residents of Riverside and San Bernardino counties have been arming themselves with guns at an unprecedented rate. New data shows that the two counties were among six in the state with the most rapidly increasing rates in gun sales.

New data found that San Bernardino County was second only to Sacramento with an increase of 385 percent between 2001 and 2015. Gun sales soared 220 percent in Riverside County.

Gun transactions in California rose 2.5 times during the recession ending in 2013.

More than 1 million guns are expected to be sold in California this year with about two-thirds through dealers.

Gun sales per capita are highest in eight Northern California counties, according to data released by Attorney General Kamala Harris.

Story Date: October 25, 2016