Retailers across the nation, including Wal-Mart and Dick’s Sporting Goods, have been pulling many types of guns and ammunition from their shelves and websites in the wake of last Friday's deadly school shooting in Newtown, Conn., including models of the Bushmaster .223-caliber assault rifle used by Adama Lanza in the massacre.
Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer with 4,602 locations in the U.S., sells more guns and ammunition than any other American store. The company pulled the Bushmaster Patrolman's Carbine M4A3 rifle from their website on Monday, according to The Nation, which published a list of “Five Assault Rifles You Can Pick up at Walmart” with your groceries.
Dick’s Sporting Goods announced on Tuesday that it removed all guns and ammunition from the stores it owns nearest Newtown. Dick’s, one of the largest sporting goods retailers in the world, also said it would suspend selling certain types of semi-automatic rifles from its U.S. chains.
One report police as part of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting investigation said Lanza may have tried to purchase a gun at a Dick’s store in Danbury, about 12 miles from Newtown.
"At this time, reports that the suspect visited one of our stores last week have not been confirmed by law enforcement," the company wrote in a statement. "Based on our records, we can confirm that no firearms were sold to the suspect identified in this case."
In a related move, Cerberus Capital Management, one of the world’s largest investment funds and a major player in firearms manufacturing, announced through a press release Tuesday that it would be getting out of the firearms trade because of the Connecticut tragedy.
“It is apparent that the Sandy Hook tragedy was a watershed event that has raised the national debate on gun control to an unprecedented level,” the press release said.
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