The Roof Koreans, or Rooftop Koreans, have become a steady part of gun culture. They live on as an example of why the Second Amendment is so important. The origin of the Roof Koreans comes from the 1992 LA riots. These riots left first responders and law enforcement too swamped with calls to be able to respond and protect neighborhoods. Korean store owners and their families took their privately owned firearms and stood in vigil over their neighborhoods and businesses.
Their pictures and story soon became legendary. In gun culture, it’s an example we use to show how much we need the ability to defend ourselves. It’s become enshrined in memes, t-shirts, and even patches. The Roof Koreans are seen as a positive example of self-defense when there are no police to come rescue you.
We often examine the firearms of military forces, police officers around the world, and even terrorist forces. But what about the Koreans who defended their neighborhoods in 1992? What guns did they wield? It turns out to be an interesting mix of civilian-owned firearms.
