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| Walmart to Limit Ammunition Sales and Discourage ‘Open Carry’ of Guns in Stores | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| In response to the shooting in its El Paso store last month that killed 22 people, Walmart said Tuesday that it would stop selling certain types of ammunition that are commonly used by hunters but can also be used in military assault rifles. | In response to the shooting in its El Paso store last month that killed 22 people, Walmart said Tuesday that it would stop selling certain types of ammunition that are commonly used by hunters but can also be used in military assault rifles. |
| The company also announced that it would begin discouraging customers from openly carrying firearms into its stores in states with open carry laws. | |
| The nation’s largest retailer made the announcement after weeks of discussion about how best to respond to the violence on Aug. 3. The company said that after “selling through our current inventory commitments” it would discontinue the sale of certain short-barrel rifle ammunition and all handgun ammunition. | The nation’s largest retailer made the announcement after weeks of discussion about how best to respond to the violence on Aug. 3. The company said that after “selling through our current inventory commitments” it would discontinue the sale of certain short-barrel rifle ammunition and all handgun ammunition. |
| Walmart had stopped selling the type of assault-style rifle that was used in the El Paso shooting several years ago, but the company decided to go further by ceasing to sell effectively any ammunition that could be used in these weapons. | Walmart had stopped selling the type of assault-style rifle that was used in the El Paso shooting several years ago, but the company decided to go further by ceasing to sell effectively any ammunition that could be used in these weapons. |
| “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,” Walmart’s chief executive, Doug McMillon, said in the statement on Tuesday. “It’s clear to us that the status quo is unacceptable.” | |
| Walmart is one of the largest corporations in the United States and its single biggest private employer, which brings it into daily contact with millions of people of nearly every political and cultural stripe, and its customers have a wide range of views on guns. | Walmart is one of the largest corporations in the United States and its single biggest private employer, which brings it into daily contact with millions of people of nearly every political and cultural stripe, and its customers have a wide range of views on guns. |
| The retailer acknowledged that its new policies may be unpopular with many customers and even some employees who are adamantly opposed to firearm restrictions. Mr. McMillon said that he owned a gun and grew up raising bird dogs in Jonesboro, Ark. | The retailer acknowledged that its new policies may be unpopular with many customers and even some employees who are adamantly opposed to firearm restrictions. Mr. McMillon said that he owned a gun and grew up raising bird dogs in Jonesboro, Ark. |
| “We have a long heritage as a company of serving responsible hunters and sportsmen and women, and we’re going to continue doing so,” Mr. McMillon said. | “We have a long heritage as a company of serving responsible hunters and sportsmen and women, and we’re going to continue doing so,” Mr. McMillon said. |
| Since the shooting in El Paso, which came a few days after two people were fatally shot by a disgruntled worker at a Walmart in Mississippi, the company said it had undertaken a “thoughtful and deliberate” process in formulating a response to the violence. | Since the shooting in El Paso, which came a few days after two people were fatally shot by a disgruntled worker at a Walmart in Mississippi, the company said it had undertaken a “thoughtful and deliberate” process in formulating a response to the violence. |
| Shortly after the El Paso shooting, Walmart pulled signs for violent video games in its stores, but gun control groups called for more measures. | Shortly after the El Paso shooting, Walmart pulled signs for violent video games in its stores, but gun control groups called for more measures. |
| The move to try to stop customers from openly bringing firearms into stores, which other companies, like Starbucks, have taken in recent years, could prove challenging for Walmart. Tens of thousands of store workers will have to be trained how to request that customers not openly carry their weapons into the stores. | |
| A Walmart spokesman said employees would be taking a “nonconfrontational” approach in carrying out the new policy, but that the stores were willing to contact law enforcement if a customer became disruptive. Walmart will eventually start posting signs around stores outlining the rule. | A Walmart spokesman said employees would be taking a “nonconfrontational” approach in carrying out the new policy, but that the stores were willing to contact law enforcement if a customer became disruptive. Walmart will eventually start posting signs around stores outlining the rule. |
| In making its decision to discourage open carry in its stores, Mr. McMillon cited “multiple incidents since El Paso, where individuals 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.” | In making its decision to discourage open carry in its stores, Mr. McMillon cited “multiple incidents since El Paso, where individuals 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.” |
| “These incidents are concerning and we would like to avoid them,” he added in his statement. | “These incidents are concerning and we would like to avoid them,” he added in his statement. |
| The company said it took time to research the changes, which come exactly one month after the El Paso shooting, and devise training for employees. | The company said it took time to research the changes, which come exactly one month after the El Paso shooting, and devise training for employees. |
| Walmart described its new limits on ammunition sales as “dramatic.” The decision is expected to reduce the company’s share of the nation’s ammunition market to as low as 6 percent, from 20 percent. The company said last month that it accounted for about 2 percent of the nation’s firearm sales. | Walmart described its new limits on ammunition sales as “dramatic.” The decision is expected to reduce the company’s share of the nation’s ammunition market to as low as 6 percent, from 20 percent. The company said last month that it accounted for about 2 percent of the nation’s firearm sales. |
| The retailer said it was also ending the sale of handguns in Alaska, the only state where the company still sells them. Walmart stopped selling handguns in every other state in the 1990s, but continued to sell handgun ammunition across the country. | The retailer said it was also ending the sale of handguns in Alaska, the only state where the company still sells them. Walmart stopped selling handguns in every other state in the 1990s, but continued to sell handgun ammunition across the country. |