“It’s clear to us that the status quo is unacceptable.”
In response to two in-store shootings at its stores and the subsequent strong social media campaigns Walmart has just announced it will cease selling handgun and military assault rifle ammunition. The big box retailer is also asking customers to stop carrying guns in its Walmart and Sam’s Club stores.
“We believe the opportunity for someone to misinterpret a situation, even in open carry states, could lead to tragic results,” CEO Doug McMillon said in a memo Tuesday, as CNBC reports. “We hope that everyone will understand the circumstances that led to this new policy and will respect the concerns of their fellow shoppers and our associates.”
“We’ve also been listening to a lot of people inside and outside our company as we think about the role we can play in helping to make the country safer,” McMillon also said. “It’s clear to us that the status quo is unacceptable.”
“Congress and the administration should act,” McMillon added, saying he is sending letters to the White House and some members of Congress calling for “common sense measures”
Most recently, in July a “disgruntled co-worker” killed two employees at a Mississippi Walmart, and just days later 22 people were killed in a mass shooting in El Paso, Texas.
“We know these decisions will inconvenience some of our customers, and we hope they will understand,” McMillon said. “As a company, we experienced two horrific events in one week, and we will never be the same.”
The company will also stop selling handguns in Alaska, that last state it has been selling those firearms.
For years Walmart has been called the biggest gun dealer in the U.S.
The executive director of Guns Down America weighs in:
Image by Neil via Flickr and a CC license
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