Walmart is taking down displays of violent video games in its stores in the wake of recent shootings. But the company plans to still sell the controversial video games — and guns.

The change in policy does not apply to the sale or display of actual firearms. As the nation’s largest retailer, Walmart is also one of the largest sellers of guns and ammunition in the world.

Walmart has previously promoted violent video games in its stores with displays that demonstrate the games. Some shoppers could conceivably mistake the soundtrack of those games for actual gunshots. Walmart and its customers are particularly sensitive to gun shot sounds following two recent fatal shootings at Walmarts in Texas and Mississippi.

“We’ve taken this action out of respect for the incidents of the past week, and this action does not reflect a long-term change in our video game assortment,” said Walmart spokesperson Tara House.

The company will also stop playing violent movies and shows on televisions in its electronics section. It will similarly stop playing hunting videos in its sporting goods section. A memo to store personnel directing the change in policy was first publicly disclosed on social media Thursday.

The memo follows a statement from Walmart CEO Doug McMillon earlier in the week in which he vowed a “thoughtful and deliberate” response to the shootings.

“We will work to understand the many important issues that arise from El Paso and Southaven, as well as those that have been raised in the broader national discussion around gun violence,” McMillon said in a memo to employees.

Although some public officials, including President Donald Trump, have pointed to violent video games as a cause of the rise in gun violence, numerous studies have found no link between the games and actual violent behavior.

Many people have called on Walmart to stop selling guns altogether. Some Walmart employees have voiced their concerns about the store’s gun sales.

Walmart does not sell assault style rifles, nor does it sell handguns outside of Alaska. It also does not sell any weapons to customers younger than 21. Walmart stopped selling assault rifles after the Sandy Hook shooting in 2015, and it changed its age policy followed the shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, last year.

via: https://pix11.com/2019/08/09/walmart-pulls-violent-video-game-displays-from-its-stores-but-it-will-still-sell-guns/

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A Nevada man accused of shooting and killing his son because the teen was gay has been allowed to live at home under house arrest while awaiting trial.

The boy’s mother, who says she feels “betrayed,” has called on the District Attorney’s office to investigate.

In 2017, Wendell Melton was charged with the murder of his 14-year-old son, Giovanni, in Henderson, Nevada.

Wendell, 53, told police he killed Giovanni during an argument over the teen skipping school. He maintains that, after Giovanni shoved him to the ground, he got up, pulled out his gun and accidentally shot the teen in the chest.

Despite only being 14, Giovanni had been allowed to live on his own in an apartment rented by his father. Wendell called police to the home around midnight. He was brought to the hospital but died later the same day.

But Giovanni’s mother, Veronica Melton, says her ex murdered their son because he was gay.

Sonja Jones, Giovanni’s foster mother, told The Las Vegas Review-Journal that Wendell “hated the fact that his son was gay.”

“I’m sure that inside of his mind, he would rather have a dead son than a gay son,” she said, claiming Giovanni had been abused “physically and mentally and spiritually for many, many years.”

Giovanni’s brothers reportedly told Jones that Wendell pulled a gun on the boy once when he caught him with his boyfriend.

“I hope they throw the book at him. I hope he never sees the light of day,” she added. “I hope every day when he looks in the mirror, he sees his son’s face.”

Wendell, who has a prior conviction for domestic battery, was charged with murder, illegal possession of a gun, and child abuse. His original bond was set at $808,000 but, despite the horrific nature of the accusations, at a March 22 hearing the judge lowered bail to $200,000.

He also allowed Wendell to leave jail, placing him on house arrest as he awaits trial. Veronica says prosecutors told her, “Well, these things happen.”

Now Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson is investigating Wendell Melton’s pre-trial release. “[Wolfson] said to me that he is going to be investigating this case,” Veronica told KTNV 13 on Monday. “He was going to see all of the transcripts from the March 22 hearing and what actually occurred because we only have bits and pieces of that court date.”

After losing her son, Veronica Melton said it felt like “justice wasn’t being served.”

She’s also asking why, even though Nevada hate crimes statutes include sexual orientation and gender identity, hate crimes enhancements were never added to Wendell’s charges.

At the time of the arrest, a Henderson police spokesperson told HuffPost that the investigation didn’t indicate the shooting was motivated by Giovanni’s sexual orientation and authorities knew of no prior trouble between father and son.

“We’re treating that as a rumor at this point,” said officer Scott Williams.

via: https://start.att.net/news/read/category/news/article/newsweek-father_accused_of_murdering_14yearold_because_he_d-rnewsweek

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A maniac is on the loose after he gunned down two people with an AR-15 in the middle of Houston rush-hour traffic — and then bolted in his car, with a trash bag full of weed inside, according to a new report.

The chaos unfolded just before 6 p.m. Thursday on eastbound Interstate 10, when the shooter and another person inside his sedan struck another vehicle, causing it to spin out, local outlet ABC 13 reported.

Both suspects got out of the car — and one of them opened fire, according to the report.

“A Hispanic male, tan shirt, holding a really big gun, shooting at another car,” a police dispatcher said.

Assistant Chief Bobby Dobbins of the Houston Police Department told the station a witness caught a glimpse of the weapon.

“He’s familiar with guns and he believes it was an AR-15,” the police official said.

“Unreal scene just witnessed on I-10 in Houston, eastbound lanes at Holland, just outside the east loop,” KHOU reporter Daniel Gotera tweeted at the time. “A guy gets out of his car with gun just shooting in the middle of freeway. Unbelievable.”

As the victims’ car rolled toward the gunman, he popped off multiple shots, killing both men in the vehicle, authorities told ABC 13.

Then the shooter and his passenger took off in their car, which had a large garbage bag filled with marijuana, police sources told the outlet.

Authorities do not have a solid description of the suspects or their vehicle, according to the report.

One driver told authorities he fired at the shooter with a pistol that he carries for personal protection. It was unclear if the gunman was hit, according to the report.

“This is a scary event to happen at 6 o’clock at night on a busy freeway,” Dobbins said.

Police weren’t ruling out any possible motives.

“Road rage? An accident? Narcotics? We don’t know yet,” the assistant chief said.

Later Thursday night, authorities were checking in with local business, including hotels — urging them to be extra cautious about about who walks in.

via: https://nypost.com/2019/08/09/maniac-with-ar-15-guns-down-two-people-on-houston-highway-sparking-manhunt/

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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Police say a man was arrested Thursday after he showed up at a Springfield Walmart store with a loaded rifle and a bulletproof vest. 

Lt. Mike Lucas with the Springfield Police Department said the incident occurred at about 4:10 p.m. at the Walmart Neighborhood Market on West Republic Road. 

Lucas said the man showed up to the business with body armor and military-style clothing and then walked inside carrying a “tactical rifle” and another gun. 

As shoppers were panicking and fleeing the store, Lucas said the man was taking video on his phone and making comments to people while pushing a shopping cart. 

Lucas said the suspect then walked out of the store, where an off-duty firefighter held the suspect at gunpoint until police arrived moments later. 

The suspect, a 20-year-old white man, was arrested, but Lucas said police are still working to determine his motives and whether he intended to shoot anyone. 

Lucas said the man had more than 100 rounds of ammo. 

“His intent obviously was to cause chaos here, and he did that,” Lucas said. 

Thursday’s incident comes five days after a gunman opened fire at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, killing 22 people. 

Lucas said Springfield police officers arrived on scene 3 minutes after the initial 911 call Thursday. He said the scene was chaotic.

He described the suspect as “pretty stoic” during the initial police contact. He said officers would be interviewing the suspect at the jail on Thursday to try to learn more about his motivations.

“His intent was not to cause peace or comfort to anybody that was in the business here,” Lucas said. “In fact, he’s lucky he’s alive still, to be honest.”

Julie Belew of Springfield said she stopped at the store Thursday afternoon to buy milk, and before she could exit her car she heard someone nearby shout: “Is that a real rifle?”

Walking straight toward her Kia Soul, coming down a grassy rise, was a young man with a rifle, wearing a bulletproof vest and military-style clothing. He had his hands raised.

She turned and saw another man near her car aiming a handgun at the man coming down the hill. Belew now believes this was the off-duty firefighter, who responded when he saw the man with the assault rifle.

Someone shouted at the man, “Why are you walking around in a tactical jacket carrying a rifle?” Belew said. She did not hear what he said back.

“He did not seem surprised. He did not seem angry. He looked like he had accomplished whatever he wanted to accomplish,” Belew said.

Police told the young man to get on the ground, she said. The man got on the ground and was handcuffed. 

Lucas said police would be reviewing any surveillance video from the store and also checking the suspect’s social media accounts to see if he was live-streaming the events.

via: https://start.att.net/news/read/article/springfield_newslead-police_man_with_rifle_bulletproof_vest_arrested_at-rgannett/category/news

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