Rock Hill outdoor store sells inserts that make backpacks bulletproof

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Nichols Store, a very well-known outdoor store in Rock Hill, has started selling an item that can make a student’s backpack bulletproof.

It’s an insert that slips into backpacks. It’s made of the same material that police wear for body armor.

Nichols Store owner Tina Nichols said after the shooting deaths of York County Det. Mike Doty and Peach Stand employee Karson Whitesell, and all of the school shootings nationwide, she thought more could be done to protect children.

"I want to put this out there to every mom that fears when they pat their kid on the back or give them a kiss on the forehead and send them to school," Nichols said.

A Kings Mountain company, Premier Body Armor, makes the bulletproof inserts.

The ones that Nichols Store is selling are top-rated to stop any pistol round up to .44 caliber. The inserts weigh just over a pound and are less than 1/2 thick.

The inserts cost anywhere from $120 to $200 and have a five-year life span.

Nichols said she is working with her staff, who teach classes for concealed weapons permits, to begin offering classes for parents on using the inserts and understanding what they do.

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