Walmart Responds to Recent Shootings With Store Bans, Call for Federal Action

Citing numerous deadly shootings in the U.S. over the past month, including two at its stores in El Paso, Texas, and Southaven, Mississippi, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon told store associates in a Tuesday letter it will discontinue sales of short-barrel rifle ammunition used in some hunting rifles but also in large-capacity clips on military-style weapons; sell through and discontinue carrying handgun ammunition; and stop selling handguns in Alaska -- “marking our complete exit from handguns.” The CEO asked customers in “open carry” states to no longer openly carry firearms in Walmart or Sam’s Club stores unless they’re law enforcement officers, citing “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.” McMillon also urged the nation’s leaders “to ... strengthen background checks and to remove weapons from those who have been determined to pose an imminent danger.” Walmart, which no longer sells assault weapons such as the AR-15, believes “reauthorization of the Assault Weapons ban should be debated to determine its effectiveness.” McMillon urged executive and congressional calls for action “on these common sense measures.” Walmart is offering to be a resource “in the national debate on responsible gun sales” with other retailers and is looking at ways to share technical specifications and compliance controls for its proprietary firearms sales technology platform for free that “navigates the tens of millions of possible combinations of federal, state and local laws, regulations and licensing requirements that come into effect based on where the firearm is being sold and who is purchasing it.” In the El Paso Walmart shooting, 22 of 48 shooting victims died; in Southaven, a Walmart associated killed two other associates, McMillon said: “It’s clear to us that the status quo is unacceptable.” The retailer believes the actions will slash its market share of ammunition from around 20 percent to a range of approximately 6-9 percent.