UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES: Background check backlog to blame for gun sales to Maryland fugitives, felons:

A tough new gun-control law pushed by Gov. Martin O'Malley and passed by the legislature spurred gun sales leading up to Oct.1, when the law took effect.

By then, the wave of buyers, racing to get ahead of the state's new handgun licensing requirement and ban on the sale of assault weapons, had grown to a tsunami.

More gun purchase applications were received in September 2013 alone than the state often sees in a year, police said.

Ban guns to increase sales ... who'd have thunk it?