Some leaders have recently called for a reassessment of the nation's gun policies. FBI: Record gun background checks

The FBI reported a record-high number of background checks for firearms purchases in the month of December, in the wake of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

According to a report from the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System out Wednesday, there were about 2.8 million background checks on those seeking to purchase firearms last month. That total was 2 million the previous month, and 1.9 million in December of 2011, news accounts noted.


The Dec. 14 mass shooting in Newtown killed 20 children and six adults, spurring the president and some lawmakers to call for a reassessment of the country’s gun policies.

At a memorial service for the Newtown victims, President Barack Obama promised to “use whatever power this office holds to engage my fellow citizens — from law enforcement to mental health professionals to parents and educators — in an effort aimed at preventing more tragedies like this.”