They set up check points at borders here in VA during the summer to combat Firework smuggling. Why? because for years kids were blowing there hands off and starting fires so the citizens in VA forced the goverment to act. I dont feel like I live in a police state because the cops are checking for fireworks one month out of the year and I dont let it get to me. I just order my fireworks online or smuggle in the off season. That being said, there is no precedent for anything like the OP posted, not even during some of our worst natural disasters or attacks. And unlike fireworks, guns have some sort of protection under the constution, enough to stop that before it got anywhere....
Back to this police state business, I think alot of us really need to take a vactation to a place like North Korea, Burma, Syria, Lybia, Turkmanistan and then talk about a police state. We dont wake up with new laws, its a long process that involves voters and citizens. Just because many of us choose to be ignorant of that process or wait till after the fact to piss and moan, doesnt make this a police state. Sorry but as of lately I've been hanging out in the Legal and Political section and I'm really thinking we should change the name to Milita & Consperist.