Walmart Pulls Guns, Ammo Displays in U.S. Stores, Citing Civil Unrest

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Heard on TV  a company spokesman say the move was prompted by the protests and looting that have occurred in Philadelphia this week after police killed Walter Wallace Jr., a Bipolar Black man with mental health breakdown who approached them while carrying a knife. Philly police department staff have few tazer's.  Know the area well as worked in local hospital plus my hospice and home health territory; area hit with looting earlier in the year. Father pleaded for calm and rioting to stop.

 

Walmart Pulls Guns, Ammo Displays in U.S. Stores, Citing Civil Unrest

Quote

Walmart Inc. has removed all guns and ammunition from the sales floors of its U.S. stores this week, aiming to head off any potential theft of firearms if stores are broken into amid social unrest.

 

 

[amoLucia]

I think that Philly has had some 400 shooting deaths for 2020 so far.  Between person-to-person shootings and police episodes, the city has been on edge. Add in political rallies and C19 disturbances, the city is a tinderbox.

Sadly, it also extends throughout the country.

I want to say 'kudos' to Walmart but I wonder only 'why just now?'

[MunoRN, RN]

The rumblings in my part of the country from far-right militant groups is that this is a strategic move by (conservative-friendly) Wal-Mart to give the upper-hand to the far-fight in the event of civil unrest. 

The idea being that far-right militant groups already have plenty of guns and ammo, but once liberals figure out that they are now at war they won't be able to arm themselves. 

'merica.  

[chare]

Walmart reverses decision to remove guns and ammo from store shelves

Quote

Walmart on Friday reversed its decision to take guns and ammunition from store displays in response to concerns about "isolated civil unrest."

The country’s largest retailer had asked all of its stores to move firearms and ammunition to a secure backroom area of the store out of “an abundance of caution” on Thursday, Walmart spokesperson Kory Lundberg told NBC News in an email.

But, “as the current incidents have remained geographically isolated, we have made the decision to begin returning these products to the sales floor today,” he said Friday.

[...]

 

[amoLucia]

Any guesses if the American Rifle Assoc got involved with some subtle suggestions?!?!?!

[chare]

I don't think the NRA is the juggernaut that many think it is.  I'm not generally a fan of Mother Jones but think this 2018 article is not far off.  And, while I am a strong supporter of the right to bear arms, I have long thought that the NRA was wrong in many of its stances.

[amoLucia]

National Rifle Assoc. TY for the correction. They have considerable clout.

For 2 days, I had a new appreciation for Walmart.