Walmart says it’s not banning gun sales

Critics argue company could lead a change

Two days after a mass shooting left 22 people dead at one of its stores in El Paso, Texas, Walmart says it’s not going to stop selling guns, though some gun control advocates are calling on it to do so.

‘’There’s been no change in policy,” Walmart spokesman Randy Hargrove said, adding that the retailer has been focused on caring for customers and employees in the El Paso community. “It’s horrible ... what’s happened.’’

But at least one gun control advocate said that if Walmart stopped selling firearms and adopted other mea

sures, such as gun buybacks, the nation’s largest retailer could dramatically shift the gun debate.

After calling Walmart “the largest retailer of firearms in the world” in an earlier tweet, Igor Volsky, founder of the group Guns Down America, told MSNBC that “Walmart is such a major player ... that if they really decided to lean into this issue, we could see some real change. We should all call on Walmart to do that.’’

In what was the first of two mass shootings this weekend that rocked the nation and gave even greater urgency to conversations about gun control as well as the rise of white supremacy in the U.S., a gunman entered a crowded Walmart in El Paso, Texas, and opened fire. He killed 22 people, and injured 24 more.

That shooting came mere days after two people were shot and killed in a Walmart store in Southaven, Mississippi, south of Memphis.

That same week, three people were shot and killed at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California.

And the day after the mass shooting at the El Paso Walmart, another occurred in Dayton, Ohio, leaving nine dead and 27 hurt.

Walmart has taken actions previously to curtail the sale of ammunition and guns. In the early 1990s, the retailer stopped selling handguns. They’re only available for sale in Alaska. In 2015, it halted sales of modern sporting rifles, and three years later it prohibited sales of firearms to anyone under 21.

Walmart says that it has put strict rules in place around firearm and ammunition sales.

“We’ve always had stringent policies around how we do sell firearms, from going above the federal guidelines on approving a customer before we sell the firearm to how we train our associates,” Hargrove says.

But some activists and others say the retailer needs to do more.

Actress Alyssa Milano took to Twitter the day of the shooting to say “Hey, @Walmart! This would be a great opportunity for you to take a true leadership position and stop selling guns.”

Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts praised Walmart for actions it has previously taken.

“They’ve been a good corporate actor on this issue,” said Watts, adding that in the wake of this weekend’s shooting, Walmart also warrants sympathy as a company of gun violence survivors. “In addition to going above and beyond on requirements when selling guns, they stopped selling semi-automatic rifles in 2015.”

But, Watts says, “the one thing we’ve asked them for a long time is that they stop allowing open carry inside their stores,” referring to the ability in some states to openly display and carry a weapon. Watts’ organization has made a similar request of at least 12 other restaurant chains and retailers including Chipotle and Starbucks, who have complied.

“We’ve always had stringent policies around how we do sell firearms, from going above the federal guidelines on approving a customer before we sell the firearm to how we train our associates.” Randy Hargrove, Walmart spokesman

MARIO TAMA/GETTY IMAGES People leave flowers Sunday at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, where 22 people died after a gunman entered the store and opened fire.