Retail giant Walmart Inc. is not changing its policy on firearms sales following two deadly shootings at its stores, The Washington Post reported Aug. 5, citing a company spokesperson.
The first incident took place on July 30 at a Walmart store in Mississippi, where a former store employee gunned down two co-workers. This was followed by a shooting incident at a Walmart in El Paso on Aug. 3, when a gunman opened fire at customers and killed at least 20 people.
Walmart spokesperson Randy Hargrove told the Washington Post in an Aug. 5 interview that there has been "no change in company policy." "With this incident just having happened over the weekend, our focus has been on supporting associates, customer and the El Paso community," Hargrove said.
In 2018, retailers including Walmart and Kroger Co. pulled back on gun sales after the Feb. 14, 2018, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where 17 people were killed.
Walmart raised the age restriction for gun purchases to 21 years of age in February 2018. In the same month, Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. said it will stop selling assault-style rifles and raise the minimum age to buy a gun to 21.
In March 2018, Kroger Co.'s general merchandise chain Fred Meyer said it is exiting the firearms business.
