Walmart Removes Guns and Ammo Displays Due to Civil Unrest Concerns
Walmart has begun pulling guns and ammunition for their sales floors over fears that they will be stolen if civil unrest erupts.
The move comes in the wake of looting in Philadelphia after 27-year-old Walter Wallace was shot and killed by police on Monday. This isn’t the first time Walmart has removed guns and ammunition from its sales floors. The retail giant pulled all guns and ammo from their shelves during the protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25.
According to an email sent to CBS MoneyWatch, a spokesperson for Walmart said the move was made as a safety precaution for associates and customers:
We have seen some isolated civil unrest, and as we have done on several occasions over the last few years, we have moved our firearms and ammunition off the sales floor as a precaution for the safety of our associates and customers.
Even though guns and ammunition have been pulled from displays, customers will still be able to purchase them upon request, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Walmart has been pressured in recent years to get out of the gun business altogether. However, the company remains committed to selling firearms for hunting and sport shooting.
CNN reports that gun sales are up in 2020 among first-time buyers, especially among women and African-Americans. Sales have increased particularly in the months after COVID-19 related lockdowns were put into place back in March.