Walgreens is the latest company to ban customers from openly carrying firearms in stores following a recent wave of mass shootings across the country.
“We are joining other retailers in asking our customers to no longer openly carry firearms into our stores other than authorized law enforcement officials,” the pharmacy chain said in a brief statement Thursday.
Walgreens joins Walmart and Kroger in tweaking their gun policies to prohibit open carrying in stores in states where open carry is legal. The company on Thursday tweeted thanks to Moms Demand Action leader Shannon Watts, who said the group had been pressuring the company to ban open carry since 2015.
“Prohibiting open carry sends a very strong cultural signal that companies are siding with the safety of families,” Ms. Watts said, CNN reported. “They know their customers are with them on this … they want to be on the right side of history but they also know that these actions are good for business.”
BREAKING: @Walgreens, the second-largest pharmacy chain in the United States, just changed its policy to prohibit open carry: “We’re joining other retailers in asking customers to no longer openly carry firearms into our stores other than authorized law enforcement officials.” https://t.co/C3mcc5aDLM
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) September 5, 2019
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.