Walmart says it will raise age for purchase of ammunition and firearms to 21


Walmart announced Wednesday that in light of the recent mass shooting at a Florida high school that left 17 people dead, it is raising the minimum age for purchase of firearms and ammunition to 21.
In a statement, the company said the change would be implemented "as quickly as possible," and also promised to remove items from the Walmart website that look like assault-style rifles, including toys and nonlethal airsoft guns. In 2015, Walmart stopped selling rifles like the AR-15, which was used in the Florida shooting. "Our heritage as a company has always been in serving sportsmen and hunters, and we will continue to do so in a responsible way," the company said.
Earlier Wednesday, Dick's Sporting Goods said it will also stop selling guns to customers under 21, and will no longer carry high-capacity magazines.
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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