Dick’s Sporting Goods announced, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018, that is will be enforcing stricter restrictions on gun sales. The sporting good store will also discontinue its sale of assault-style guns.
Edward Stack, the CEO of Dick’s Sporting Goods said, “thoughts and prayers are not enough.” The sporting goods chain of more than 600 stores will no longer sell any firearms to anyone under the age of 21, it will stop selling high-capacity magazines, and it will continue to not sell bump stocks.
In a statement Stack said, “We support and respect the Second Amendment, and we recognize and appreciate that the vast majority of gun owners in this country are responsible, law-abiding citizens.” Stack continued by saying that we have a responsibility to solve this issue. “Gun violence is an epidemic that’s taking the lives of too many people, including the brightest hope for the future of America – our kids.”
Dick’s Sporting Goods sold a shotgun to Nikolas Cruz, the shooter at the Marjory Stoneman High School, in Parkland, Florida. The gun was not used in the shooting, but the store recognizes that “it could have been.”
Just as Twitter users are challenging companies to cut ties with the NRA, Dick’s Sporting Goods is calling on politicians to adopt the store policies into law. In addition, Stack stated that Congress should implement universal background checks with more law enforcement and mental health interaction information, create a universal database of banned firearm buyers, and stop allowing the private sale of guns and at gun shows without the use of background checks.
Stack stated that these steps will not guarantee that tragedies such as the Marjory Stoneman High School massacre will not happen again, but if “common sense reform” can save a singe life, it will be worth it.
In 2012, after the Sandy Hook school massacre, Dick’s Sporting Goods stop the sale of assault-style guns, however, they resumed their sales a year later at the Field & Stream specialty stores.
By Jeanette Smith
Source:
NBC News: Dick’s Sporting Goods will stop selling assault-style rifles
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