One month after 22 people were fatally shot and 26 injured at an El Paso Walmart and three days after another mass shooting in Odessa where eight people were killed, the world’s largest retailer is asking its customers not to openly carry firearms in its stores.
Walmart Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillion released a statement Tuesday outlining how the store will phase out the sale of some sizes of ammunition and will “respectfully ask its customers to refrain from carrying guns inside their stores.
In the days that followed, Kroger, the nation’s largest supermarket chain, joined Walmart asking customers not to bring in guns, as did Walgreen’s and CVS Pharmacy.
McMillion in his statement also pointed to a shooting at a Walmart in Southhaven, MI, a few days prior to the El Paso incident where two store associates were killed by another associate in the store, as well as the Dayton, OH shooting the same weekend as El Paso.
The corporation has been supporting its associates and families who were impacted, but they also have focused on store safety and security listening to people inside and outside the company, as they think about the role Walmart can play in helping make the country safer.
“It’s clear to us that the status quo is unacceptable,” said McMillion.
Below are the steps announced by the company on Tuesday including eliminating the sale of some ammo and asking customers not to carry weapons inside their stores.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.