Walmart to limit sales of some ammunition

World Today

U.S. retail giant Walmart said it will no longer sell ammunition for handguns or the most common military-style assault rifles.

The moves comes after one of its stores in Texas was the site of a shooting spree that killed 22 people.

CGTN’s Jim Spellman reports.

“We understand that heritage, our deeply rooted place in America and our influence as the world’s largest retailer,” said Walmart CEO Doug McMillon in a statement. “We understand the responsibility that comes with it. In a complex situation lacking a simple solution, we are trying to take constructive steps to reduce the risk that events like these will happen again.”

Walmart stopped selling handguns in 1993 except in Alaska. It will now stop selling handguns there as well.

The company stopped selling assault rifles in 2015, but still sells hunting rifles. Walmart estimates it accounts for 20% of all U.S. ammunition sales. They expect this latest move to cut that down to between 6% and 9%.

The company is also asking shoppers not to carry weapons openly in their stores. Several pro-gun shoppers have recently come to their locations armed with assault rifles. It is legal in most U.S. states to openly carry guns in public, with some limitations.

Walmart’s CEO is also calling on Washington to enhance background checks, remove weapons from dangerous people and begin debating an assault weapons ban, echoing calls from the families of gun violence victims.

“Congress, somebody needs to do something fast before another victim, another family, another kids without dad,” said Bari Aco, whose husband was killed in the Walmart shooting. “That’s uncalled for.  Please do something.”

So far President Trump has been noncommittal about backing even modest gun control measures, and the Republican-controlled Senate won’t bring gun measures to a vote without his support. So it’s possible no new gun measures will pass before next year’s elections.