Several hours after Dick’s Sporting Goods CEO Edward Stack announced on “Good Morning America” that his company would no longer be selling assault-style rifles and will ban the sale of guns to people under the age of 21 in its stores and online, Walmart, the largest retailer in the country said they had raised the age to purchase guns to 21.
In a statement Wednesday, Walmart said it decided to review its firearm sales policy “in light of recent events.” The statement also said they are updating the process to implement the change in policy as quickly as possible.
Walmart stopped selling AR-15s and other semi-automatic weapons in 2015, citing weak sales. The retailer is also going one step further, saying: “We are also removing items from our website resembling assault-style rifles, including nonlethal airsoft guns and toys. Our heritage as a company has always been in serving sportsmen and hunters, and we will continue to do so in a responsible way.”
Today’s announcements came the same day that classes resumed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where 14 students and three teachers were killed two weeks ago in one of the deadliest U.S. mass shootings.
One industry analyst said that other retailers that have a small percentage of sales involving firearms will probably follow suit, but he also noted that firearms can still be purchased online, at gun shows and from small local gun stores, reports the Star Tribune.
Of course, the move by the two retailers caused a big commotion on social media today, with some people claiming they would never shop at the stores again, but the overwhelming consensus seemed to be in favor of raising the age for buying firearms to 21. And, Dick’s stock ended Wednesday up 22 cents at $32.02.
