Walmart hides firearms and ammunition at its U.S. stores, citing 'civil unrest'


Walmart has removed all guns and ammunition from the roughly half of its 4,700 U.S. stores that sell firearms, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. "We have seen some isolated civil unrest and as we have done on several occasions over the last few years, we have moved our firearms and ammunition off the sales floor as a precaution for the safety of our associates and customers," spokesman Kory Lundberg said in a statement. The company has not decided how the items will stay off the shelves, he added, but customers can still buy guns and ammo upon request at participating locations.
Walmart gave the order to managers on Wednesday, saying the decision was "due to the current unrest in isolated areas of the country and out of an abundance of caution." The company did not say what isolated incidents it had in mind, but post-protest looters in Philadelphia hit a Walmart store. Walmart similarly pulled guns off its shelf after the police killing of George Floyd over the summer. Walmart did not mention the election, but law enforcement and state election agencies are bracing for violent confrontations after next week's presidential results come in.
Gun sales have risen sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic and summer of peaceful protests and adjacent violence sparked by the police killings of numerous Black Americans. The National Shooting Sport Foundation says 12.1 million people underwent firearm background checks between January and July, up 72 parent from the first half of 2019. The NSSF also found that 58 percent of the 5 million Americans buying their first firearm are Black.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Walmart has slowly pared back its firearms offerings over the years, ending handgun sales in the 1990s (and last year in Alaska), pulling assault-style rifles and the ammunition they use, and raising its gun-buying age to 21.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
The state of Britain's Armed Forces
The Explainer Geopolitical unrest and the unreliability of the Trump administration have led to a frantic re-evaluation of the UK's military capabilities
By The Week UK
-
Anti-anxiety drug has a not-too-surprising effect on fish
Under the radar The fish act bolder and riskier
By Devika Rao, The Week US
-
Crossword: April 21, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocks
Speed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Biden expected to block Japanese bid for US Steel
Speed Read The president is blocking the $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US