OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Papillion dad Joe Leggett is sending his kids to school with something new in their backpacks that he hopes they never need: bulletproof panels.

He bought the 9-inch-by-12-inch inserts from a Sarpy County security firm and says the $120 panels give his kids a protective edge if a school shooting ever occurs. And they give Dad and Mom some peace of mind.

"I pray hard for their safety and protection," said Leggett, a former Pottawattamie County sheriff's deputy. "But we do things to increase those odds."

Sales of the panels have risen at the local store and nationally since th...