Walmart ends handgun ammunition sales and open-carry in stores after mass shootings
Walmart will stop selling certain kinds of ammunition and will no longer allow people to open-carry guns in its stores, the company announced Tuesday.
The decision was made after 22 people were killed in an El Paso Walmart and two employees were killed in a Walmart in Southhaven, Mississippi, last month, a news release from CEO Doug McMillon said.
“We know these decisions will inconvenience some of our customers, and we hope they will understand. As a company, we experienced two horrific events in one week, and we will never be the same,” McMillon said in the release.
After selling its current inventory, Walmart will discontinue selling all handgun ammunition and short-barrel rifle ammunition such as the .223 caliber and 5.56 caliber bullets that, while commonly used in some hunting rifles, can also be used in large capacity clips on military-style weapons. The company will also stop selling handguns in Alaska, the only state where it currently sells handguns.
The chain will focus its remaining gun sales on hunting and sport shooting. Sales will include long barrel deer rifles and shotguns, much of the ammunition they require, as well as hunting and sporting accessories and apparel.
The company will also no longer let customers open-carry firearms in Walmart or Sam’s Club stores.
The decision to not allow people to open-carry in stores was made in response to multiple incidents across the country where people “attempting to make a statement and test our response have entered our stores carrying weapons in a way that frightened or concerned our associates and customers,” according to the news release.
Customers will still be able to carry concealed firearms in stores, in accordance with state laws.
McMillon also mentioned the mass shootings in Odessa and Midland and Dayton, Ohio, as evidence that, “the status quo is unacceptable.”
On Saturday, five people were killed and at least 21 others were injured when they were shot in Odessa, law enforcement authorities said.
McMillon said in the news release he also sent letters to the White House and Congress calling for action on gun laws.
“Finally, we encourage our nation’s leaders to move forward and strengthen background checks and to remove weapons from those who have been determined to pose an imminent danger,” he said in the news release.
The NRA responded to Walmart’s announcement Tuesday afternoon.
“The strongest defense of freedom has always been our free market economy. It is shameful to see Walmart succumb to the pressure of the anti-gun elites,” the statement said.
This story was originally published September 3, 2019 at 4:15 PM.