The company sold a shotgun legally to the Parkland shooter.

Dick’s Sporting Goods sold a shotgun to the Parkland, Fla., shooter legally before the 19-year-old opened fire inside his former school on Valentine’s Day, killing 17.

Although the shotgun was not the one the gunman used in his attack, the now distraught sporting company announced Wednesday that it will no longer sell assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines in its stores, a move that has angered some customers, who say they will boycott the store.

We at DICK’S Sporting Goods are deeply disturbed and saddened by the tragic events in Parkland. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the victims and their loved ones. https://t.co/J4OcB6XJnu pic.twitter.com/WmT50BO7mx — DICK’S Sporting Goods (@DICKS) February 28, 2018

I don’t buy guns in your stores because literally everyone else has better pricing. But my family does spend quite a bit of money with you each year. That ends now. You’re free to hate my Liberty as much as I’m free to exercise it and take revenue from you. — SicSemp (@LeonidasBowman) February 28, 2018

Dicks Sporting Goods to stop selling “assault rifles.” First, there’s no such thing as an assault rifle. Second, this PC move will hurt Dicks big time. And it should. https://t.co/8gD1gRfNfi — Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) February 28, 2018

Dear @DICKS u never sold “assault rifle” you sold modern sporting rifle… oh btw #BoycottDicksSportingGoods — Rob Lopez (@baseman2001) February 28, 2018

“We’re staunch supporters of the Second Amendment, I’m a gun owner myself,” CEO Ed Stack of the sporting store said Wednesday on Good Morning America. “We don’t want to be a part of this story, and we have eliminated these guns permanently.”

Dick’s ban is reminiscent of the ban it instated after the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012, but the company returned to selling the weapons a few months later. This time, however, the store says the ban is permanent.

“Thoughts and prayers are not enough,” the company said in a statement. “We support and respect the Second Amendment, and we recognize and appreciate that the vast majority of gun owners in this country are responsible, law-abiding citizens. But we have to help solve the problem that’s in front of us.”


The company added that the “systems in place” are clearly not sufficient to protect kids since the shooter was able to buy many firearms legally.