[The Hill] Kroger, the country’s largest grocery chain, has asked its customers to no longer openly carry firearms in its stores.
"Kroger is respectfully asking that customers no longer openly carry firearms into our stores, other than authorized law enforcement officers," Jessica Adelman, who serves as group vice president of corporate affairs, said in a statement to Reuters on Tuesday afternoon.
"We are also joining those encouraging our elected leaders to pass laws that will strengthen background checks and remove weapons from those who have been found to pose a risk for violence," she continued.
Prior to the change in policy, Adelman told the news agency that store locations adhered to local gun laws.
The announcement comes just hours after Walmart said it will formally end handgun sales and asked customers not to openly carry firearms following a mass shooting that took place at one of its stores in El Paso, Texas, last month. |