Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
A Walmart employee allegedly killed six people inside a Chesapeake, Virginia, Walmart Tuesday night, just over three years after the massive department store chain barred customers from openly carrying handguns for self-defense.
On September 3, 2019, Breitbart News reported that Walmart issued a ban forbidding customers from openly carrying handguns, even where legal.
CNBC noted that Walmart was putting up signage at its stores, making clear that the open carry of handguns was not allowed.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon announced the open carry ban: “We believe the opportunity for someone to misinterpret a situation, even in open carry states, could lead to tragic results. We hope that everyone will understand the circumstances that led to this new policy and will respect the concerns of their fellow shoppers and our associates.”
The open carry ban came less than a month after McMillon pushed Congress to ban AR-15s, AK-47s, and other commonly owned firearms the left categorizes as “assault weapons.”
Openly carrying a handgun is a popular way of keeping a pistol or revolver close at hand for self-defense.
On May 20, 2021, South Carolina became the 46th state to legalize openly carrying handguns. Prior to that, in 2015, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed open carry legislation making Texas the 45th state to legalize open carry.
Around 10 p.m. on November 22, 2022, a Walmart employee with a pistol allegedly shot and killed six people inside a Chesapeake Walmart, according to FOX News.