Kroger Won't Sell Guns To Anyone Under 21 Years

(RTTNews) - Kroger Co. (KR) Thursday announced it will stop selling guns to buyers under 21 years old through its Fred Meyer locations.

Kroger becomes the third major retailer after Walmart and Dick's Sporting Goods to tighten gun sales policies in the wake of a high-school shooting that left 17 people dead in Parkland, Florida.

Kroger said it would raise the minimum age to purchase arms and ammunition in all of its Fred Meyer stores in response to the Parkland shooting. Kroger currently sells firearms at 43 Fred Meyer locations in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Kroger will also no longer sell assault-style semi-automatic rifles in Alaska, a spokeswoman said.

"Recent events demonstrate the need for additional action on the part of responsible gun retailers," said Kroger spokesman Jessica Adelman, according to WSJ. "In response to the tragic events in Parkland and elsewhere, we've taken a hard look at our policies and procedures for firearm sales."

Yesterday, sports goods retailer Dick's Sporting Goods said it will stop selling assault-style rifles in its stores and also will not sell firearms to anyone under 21 years of age.

The retailer will also no longer sell high capacity magazines and will never sell bump stocks that makes semi-automatic weapons more rapidly like a machine gun.

Dick's has advocated for more stringent gun laws. The retailer has asked the regulators to pass stringent laws, including banning of assault-style firearms, raise the minimum age to purchase firearms to 21, ban high capacity magazines and bump stocks.

According to the current law, licensed gun dealers can sell a handgun to someone 21 years old and sell a rifle to an 18 year old person. President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Rick Scott have expressed support for raising the age limit for rifle sales. However, the National Rifle Association has rejected any such move, citing it will infringe the Second Amendment.