米ウォルマート、拳銃など弾薬の一部を販売停止へ

【ニューヨークＡＦＰ＝時事】米小売り大手ウォルマートは3日、米国における銃器の現状は「容認できない」と批判し、拳銃向けおよび一部の狩猟用ライフル銃向けだが軍仕様のライフル銃にも込められる弾薬の販売を停止する計画を発表した。（写真は小売り大手ウォルマートの店舗）
　米国では１か月前の８月３日、テキサス州のウォルマート店舗で銃乱射事件が発生し、２２人の命が奪われた。その後も銃による事件が後を絶たず先週末にはテキサス州西部での銃撃事件で７人が亡くなっている。
　ウォルマートのダグ・マクミロン最高責任者（ＣＥＯ）は議会とホワイトハウスに対し、銃購入時の身元確認強化を含め、「常識的な」規制を立法化するよう求めた。
　ウォルマートは今回の変更により、弾薬販売の市場占有率が現在の２０％程度から６～９％程度に低下すると見込んでいる。
　同社は銃身の長いシカ狩り用ライフル銃と猟銃、またこれら銃器向けの弾薬の販売は継続する計画で、マクミロン氏はウォルマート各店舗が「これまで以上に狩猟とスポーツ射撃の愛好家のニーズに重点を置く」ことになると説明した。
　自身も銃を所有するマクミロン氏は「私たちは、米国に深く根ざしているこの遺産と世界最大の小売業者としての影響力とそれに伴う責任を理解している」と付け加えた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2019/09/04-08:58）

Walmart announced Tuesday it will halt sales of ammunition for handguns and some military-style rifles used in some hunting rifles, calling the status quo on guns in the United States unacceptable.
The moves came a month after a deadly shooting at a Texas Walmart claimed 22 lives, a calamity that has been followed by subsequent attacks, including another shooting over the weekend in West Texas that left seven dead.
Chief Executive Doug McMillon called on Congress and the White House to enact common sense measures, including stronger background checks for gun purchases.
As we've seen before, these horrific events occur and then the spotlight fades. We should not allow that to happen, McMillon said in a statement. Congress and the administration should act.
Walmart expects the changes on ammunition to lower its market share of bullets from around 20 percent to a range of six to nine percent.
The company plans to continue to sell long-barrel deer rifles and shotguns and much of the ammunition used in these guns, leaving its stores even more focused on the needs of hunting and sport shooting enthusiasts, McMillon said.
The moves announced Tuesday followed earlier actions by Walmart to restrict access to some weapons, including a decision in 1993 to halt handgun sales in all states but Alaska and in 2015 to end sales of semiautomatic guns of the sort used in mass shootings.
On Tuesday, Walmart said it was also ending sales of handguns in Alaska.
But Walmart has resisted calls to completely halt gun sales.
As a gun owner, McMillon added, we understand that heritage, our deeply rooted place in America and our influence as the world's largest retailer. And we understand the responsibility that comes with it.