Walmart CEO Doug Miller said in a lengthy statement posted online that the retail giant will respond in a “thoughtful and deliberate” way to two fatal shootings at its stores, including in El Paso, Texas.
Patrick Crusius, 21, is accused of killing 22 people at the Walmart in El Paso on Saturday. Three days later, a disgruntled former employee allegedly opened fire at a store in Mississippi, killing two workers and wounding a cop.
“We’re feeling a wide range of emotions — shock, anger, grief. We are also feeling gratitude for the first responders in El Paso and Southaven and proud of the way our fellow associates reacted so courageously,” Miller wrote on Instagram.
He said he was in El Paso on Tuesday meeting with employees and first responders. In praising the “courageous” associates, he cited the store manager in El Paso who was leaving the store and ran back inside when he heard the shots.
“When the worst happens, we counter with our best selves. We support each other, pray together, stand firm and heal together,” he wrote.
“As it becomes clearer that the shooting in El Paso was motivated by hate, we are more resolved than ever to foster an inclusive environment where all people are valued and welcomed,” he continued.
“Our store in El Paso is well known as a tight-knit community hub for people in the region, where we serve customers from both sides of the border.”
He added: “We are a learning organization, and, as you can imagine, we will work to understand the many important issues that arise from El Paso and Southaven, as well as those that have been raised in the broader national discussion around gun violence.
“We will be thoughtful and deliberate in our responses, and we will act in a way that reflects the best values and ideals of our company, with a focus on serving the needs of our customers, associates and communities.”
In the wake of the two shootings involving Walmart, one of the largest sellers of guns and ammo in the US, many people have called on the company to stop selling firearms.
The retailer stopped selling handguns in 1993, except in Alaska, and stopped selling assault-style rifles in 2015. Last year, it stopped selling firearms to anyone under age 21.
The company’s policy on sales also is stricter than current federal laws and requires customers to pass a background check before purchasing a firearm, according to Yahoo Finance.
On Monday, a Walmart rep told the news outlet that the company had no immediate plans to change its gun sale policies in the wake of the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio.
