Following two deadly shootings at its stores, Walmart announced it will no longer allow patrons to openly carry guns in its stores. In addition, the company will no longer sell handguns in Alaska, the only state it does so and will stop selling ammunition for handguns in all of its stores.
“We believe the opportunity for someone to misinterpret a situation, even in open carry states, could lead to tragic results. 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,” Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said in a memo to employees. “As it relates to concealed carry by customers with permits, there is no change to our policy or approach”.
Walmart is currently responsible for about 20 percent of ammunition sales in the United States but wants to reduce that number to below 9 percent.
“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.”