BREAKING: Walmart Raises Age Restriction to 21 for Buying Guns; Removes Toy Guns from Website
OutdoorHub Reporters 03.01.18
Walmart has joined DICK’S Sporting Goods in raising the minimum purchase age for buying a firearm to 21 years old.
In a letter, the company says it decided to review and change its firearm sales policy, “in light of recent events.”
“Going forward, we are raising the age restriction for purchase of firearms and ammunition to 21 years of age. We will update our processes as quickly as possible to implement this change,” the statement reads.
Walmart notes in the statement they are “also removing items from our website resembling assault-style rifles, including nonlethal airsoft guns and toys.”
The news comes after a 19-year-old gunman entered a school in Parkland,Florida and killed 17 people.
On Wednesday, President Trump led a meeting with a group of bipartisan lawmakers to discuss school safety, and stronger gun laws. The President has said he is in favor of raising the legal age to buy guns from 18 to 21, and he’s reiterated several times that he’s not afraid of the NRA.
This is very much a developing story, as we wait to see if others will join DICK’S Sporting Goods, and now Walmart in raising age limits for buying guns in their stores.
Read the full statement posted on Walmart’s website below:
“In light of recent events, we’ve taken an opportunity to review our policy on firearm sales. Going forward, we are raising the age restriction for purchase of firearms and ammunition to 21 years of age. We will update our processes as quickly as possible to implement this change.
In 2015, Walmart ended sales of modern sporting rifles, including the AR-15. We also do not sell handguns, except in Alaska where we feel we should continue to offer them to our customers. Additionally, we do not sell bump stocks, high-capacity magazines and similar accessories. We have a process to monitor our eCommerce marketplace and ensure our policies are applied.
We take seriously our obligation to be a responsible seller of firearms and go beyond Federal law by requiring customers to pass a background check before purchasing any firearm. The law would allow the sale of a firearm if no response to a background check request has been received within three business days, but our policy prohibits the sale until an approval is given.
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.“
