Dick’s Sporting Goods, Major Gun Retailer, Stops Selling Assault-Style Weapons
The company soon discovered it had legally sold a gun to Mr. Cruz in November, though it was not the gun or type of gun used in the school shooting.
The retailer also said that it would no longer sell high-capacity magazines and
that it would not sell any gun to anyone under 21 years of age, regardless of local laws.
“We love these kids and their rallying cry, ‘enough is enough.’ It got to us.”
He added, “We’re going to take a stand and step up and tell people our view and, hopefully, bring people along into the conversation.”
Mr. Stack said he hoped that conversation would include politicians.
In 2012, after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School that killed 26 people, Dick’s removed assault-style rifles from its main retail stores.
That decision raised rounds of discussions with top executives inside the company as well
as the directors, all of whom backed the decision to take a stance, said Mr. Stack.
Mr. Stack said Dick’s remained a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment and will continue to sell a variety of sport and hunting firearms.
The announcement, made two weeks after the school shooting in Parkland, Fla.,
that killed 17 students and staff members, is one of the strongest stances taken by corporate America in the national gun debate.
As part of its stance, Dick’s is calling on elected officials to enact what it called “common sense gun reform’’ by passing laws to raise the minimum age to purchase guns to 21, to ban assault-type weapons and so-called bump stocks, and to conduct broader universal background checks
that include mental-health information and previous interactions with law enforcement.