WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Dick's Sporting Goods Inc on Wednesday said it was permanently curbing certain gun sales at all of its stores in the wake of the recent massacre at a high school in Florida that has re-ignited a fierce debate over gun control in America.

In an interview with ABC News, Dick's CEO Ed Stack said the company would no longer sell assault-style firearms or high-capacity magazines, and would not sell any guns to those under age 21.

"We're taking these guns out of all of our stores permanently," Stack said, adding that he was prepared for any potential backlash toward the business.

Pennsylvania-based Dick's sells weapons through its Dick's Sporting Goods and Field & Stream stores.

Stack said there were not enough systematic protections to prevent gun sales to people who are potential threats, and urged Congress to act comprehensively not only on background checks but also on mental health and other possible solutions.

"The systems that are in place across the board just aren't effective enough to keep us from selling someone a gun like that and so we've decided that we're not gong to sell the assault-type rifles anymore," Stack told ABC.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Eric Walsh and Chizu Nomiyama)