US shooting fuels bullet-proof backpack sales

WASHINGTON (AFP) - On the heels of the deadly shooting tragedy in Connecticut, parents' anxiety is driving a surge in sales of bullet-proof backpacks, in the hope the armoured bags can give their kids a safety edge.

For under US$300 (S$366), the company Amendment II - a play on the Second Amendment to the US constitution, which guarantees the right to bear arms - is selling a boys' pack with Avengers characters on it and a Little Mermaid one for girls.

"Sewn into the rear of the pack, you can always be confident that the armour hasn't been accidentally left at home and that you or your child are protected in case of the unthinkable," the company says.

"It is an awful thing - you would never imagine your child with this kind of stuff - but since the Newtown tragedy, our sales are more than 10 times better than usual," said Mr Richard Craig, head of the Utah company.