Walmart is removing firearms and ammunition from sales floors in some of its stores following nationwide protests sparked by the death of George Floyd.
Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old black man, died last week at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Protests erupted across the US, demanding justice for Floyd and an end to police brutality.
Many businesses – including major retailers such as Target – were damaged or looted during the unrest. Cities across the US have imposed curfews in an attempt to avoid violent protests.
While firearms and ammunition are still available for purchase at Walmart, the items are being stored in a secure room, the retailer said.
“As a responsible seller of hunting and sporting firearms, we have temporarily removed firearms and ammunition from the sales floor in some stores out of an abundance of caution,” Walmart said in a statement to CNN.
Walmart does not sell firearms or ammunition in many of the areas that have experienced issues due to looting, but the retailer made the precautionary move with protests still ongoing.
