Walmart is set to end sales of handguns in Alaska and will discontinue the sale of short-barrel rifle and handgun ammunition in stores nationwide, the super chain’s president and CEO announced Tuesday afternoon.
The store said it will gear its focus toward long-barrel deer rifles and shotguns, supplying much of the ammunition they require and providing hunting and sporting accessories and apparel, Doug McMillon wrote in a memo.
“We have a long heritage as a company of serving responsible hunters and sportsmen and women, and we’re going to continue doing so,” McMillon said.
Walmart is going back to its folksy hunting heritage and getting rid of anything that’s not related to a hunting rifle after two mass shootings in its stores in one week left 24 people dead in August of 2019.
The changes will reduce Walmart’s market share of ammunition from around 20 percent to a range of about 6-9 percent, according to the memo. Of its nearly 5,000 U.S. stores, about half sell firearms.
The announcement comes just days after a mass shooting killed seven people in Odessa, Texas. Two other major shootings occurred last month in Dayton, Ohio, and in El Paso, Texas, where a gunman killed 22 people inside a Walmart.
In response to the shootings, Walmart also asked that customers no longer openly carry firearms into its stores or Sam’s Clubs in states where “open carry” was permitted unless law enforcement authorized it. However, McMillon noted that the store wouldn’t change its policy and approach regarding concealed-carry permits.
Other strange events reportedly happen at Burning Man as police hunt a killer
Police: Texas Mom Left Son in Hot Car, Stopped at McDonald’s En Route to Emergency Room Where He Died
Surfers Watch Their Friend Disappear Underwater, Moments Later They Find His Shark-Bitten Body
Burning Man homicide unsolved as witness reportedly recalls chilling encounter
Trump delivers ultimatum to Hamas: Accept deal and release hostages or pay the consequences
Watch: Travis Kelce Takes Massive Slap to the Face Mid-Game
Two Men Who Murdered Teen in ‘Satanic Ritual’ Granted Parole, Were Found Guilty After ‘Sacrificing’ a Virgin
Knife-wielding man slashes NYPD officer in face with 14-inch blade, police shoot him dead in pursuit
Serial killer claims he murdered 26 women as new documentary reveals dark secrets
California Dems Kill Bill Backed by Jay Leno That Would Have Exempted Classic Cars from Emissions Regulations
Another ‘Maryland Man’ Accused of Murdering 19-Year-Old American Woman
Russia damages Ukrainian government building in largest attack since war began
Ohio donors ditch Tim Ryan, pour nearly $220K into Vivek Ramaswamy’s governor bid
Pope declares 15-year-old computer programmer Carlo Acutis first millennial saint
OnlyFans boom on college campuses sparks concern as more students turn to platform for fast cash
“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,” the statement said.
McMillon said he would write letters to the White House and congressional leadership to call for “action on these common sense measures.”
Walmart reminded customers that it has changed its policy regarding firearms sales in the past, including stopping the sale of military-style rifles such as the AR-15, raising the age limit to purchase firearms or ammunition to 21, and requiring a “green light” on background checks.
McMillon apologized to well-intentioned customers who may be inconvenienced by the new policies but said he hoped they understood the reasoning behind the decisions.
“We will treat law-abiding customers with respect, and we will have a very non-confrontational approach,” McMillon wrote in the announcement. “Our priority is your safety.”
Company officials also said they’ll add signage to stores to notify customers of the changes.
Source: Walmart to stop Alaska handgun sales, end sales of short-barrel rifle and handgun ammo nationwide