Dick's Sued Over New Gun Policy

(RTTNews) - Tyler Watson, 20, has filed a lawsuit against Dick's Sporting Goods and Walmart alleging that he faced age discrimination when he tried to purchase a rifle at the retailers.

Watson says he tried to buy a .22 caliber Ruger rifle on February 24 at Field and Stream, a store owned by Dick's Sporting Goods and made another attempt to purchase the weapon at a Walmart store on March 3. In Oregon, state law allows residents to purchase firearms at age 18. However, both retailer refused to sell him a rifle.

This was exactly four days before Dick's Sporting Goods announced on February 28 that it would stop selling all assault-style rifles and high capacity magazines in its stores as well as not raised the gun purchase age limit to 21 years old. Walmart also said it will no longer sell guns to anyone under 21 years old.

Both the retailers tightened their policies in the wake of a high-school shooting that left 17 people dead in Parkland, Florida.

Several companies across the country have tightened their policies on gun sales across the nation after the tragedy.

A Walmart spokesperson told ABC News that this is the first complaint of its kind that he's aware of and the company will stand behind their decision and "plan to defend it" in court.

The lawsuits allege that the companies' policies violated Oregon discrimination law, which prohibits a place of public accommodation from refusing to serve a customer based on their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or age.

Watson is seeking damages, attorney fees and for retailers to "stop unlawfully discriminating against 18, 19 and 20-year-old customers at all Oregon locations."