Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America launched a national campaign this morning asking Michael Ellis, President and COO, and Mr. W. Rodney McMullen, CEO, of the Kroger Family of Stores to prohibit the open carry of guns in its supermarkets.

The request is in response to incidences of gun violence in and around stores, as well as open carry demonstrations organized by “gun rights” extremist groups that brought gunmen with loaded assault weapons into stores.

Gun extremists have been demonstrating at Kroger stores across the country including in Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Texas and West Virginia to promote their “open carry” campaign of intimidation, which even the NRA has denounced as  undermining to the goals of pro-gun advocacy, and back in June their website stated, “Let’s not mince words, not only is it rare, it’s downright weird and certainly not a practical way to go normally about your business while being prepared to defend yourself,” in response to the Open Carry protests in Texas that were following groups of moms around as they advocated for gun sense.

“The history of shootings at Kroger stores underscores the risk of allowing open carry demonstrations and rallies to continue,” said Shannon Watts, Moms Demand Action founder says in a press release. “It’s impossible for any employee to ascertain the intentions of an individual carrying an assault rifle — and given the potentially deadly outcome of mistaking a criminal for a protester, or vice versa, it is imperative that the largest supermarket retailer in the nation stands up for public safety.”

In the past few months, Krogers has experienced gun violence first-hand, with 16 shootings and threats at stores in Arizona, Georgia, Ohio, Tennessee and other states. In June, a woman shot and killed her husband in the parking lot of a Marietta, GA Kroger before killing herself and in February, a man opened fire in a Lawrenceville, GA store and shot two people after allegedly targeting a store employee. Last month, a woman threatened to shoot and kill an employee at a Nashville, TN location.

Despite this, Kroger has not instituted a policy prohibiting open carry.

The Kroger family of stores, is second largest retailer in the country and the nation’s largest supermarket retailer, includes Kroger, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, Foods Co, Gerbes Super Markets, Ralphs, Smith’s, Harris Teeter, Jay C Food Stores, Owen’s, Pay Less Supermarkets, City Market, Dillon’s Food Store/Marketplace, Baker’s, King Soopers, QFC and Fry’s Food and Drug.

The Moms Demand Action campaign follows similar actions aimed at Target, Chipotle, Sonic, Chili’s and Jack in the Box that led these companies to take swift action. In the end, they chose to stand with Moms Demand Action, adopting policies that prohibit open carry to protect the safety and provide peace of mind to their employees and customers.

You can sign the petition to ask Kroger’s to stand with Moms Demand Action here.

By Hypatia Livingston

"Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all."Writer, thinker, researcher, philosopher.

13 thoughts on “Moms Demand Action Asks Krogers to Prohibit Open Carry”
  1. Open carry of properly holstered handguns is legal in 45 states if you include California, a rural only open carry state. 30 states allow open carry without any permit. Learn more about open carry at OpenCarry.org. And carry on!

    1. Businesses have the right to refuse to accomodate men who are open carrying. I side with these women. What happens when a toddler sneaks up behind you and tries to play with your LOADED gun? Why would you risk such a thing? And of course you would blame the parents rather than your choice to carry a weapon around a place where families go to shop.

      Of COURSE I NEED MY M-16 when I AM CHOOSING HAMBURGER MEAT! What if Al Queda invades?

      1. Or worse, what if Obama signs a secret Executive action and orders all guns confiscated, who then shall shop for me at Kroger’s? I can’t go to the store without 14 assault rifles and 200 boxes of Chinese ammunition in tow doncha know. I have to be ready when Obama takes our guns, It can happen at any moment in time, tonight, tomorrow or even now. Wait, I hear my radio going on with an action ALERT from Alex Jones. He wants me to buy some Hybrid seeds and Gold Bars for when the end times come. Gotta go stock up, be back later I hope…..

      2. I thought this was ‘Murica!

        But seriously — this will scare many customers with young kids away. I wonder if that’s what these Open Carry dorks *want* — to clear out the grocery store so they don’t ahve to wait in line anymore. It’s amazing the kind of power trip people seem to enjoy when wielding guns

        1. They dare not show up in Ferguson of course.. Too afraid shit is real there. Easier to frighten people who think they are scary in the grocery store than for them to show up with their tiny balls in Ferguson where the real shit is going on…Also easier to point their weapons at women and children on the border, coz Murica doncha know..

        1. Gun nuts ALWAYS refer to equipment, as if equipment guarantees safety. They think because they know gun equipment better than others, that makes others stupid and unqualified to discuss gun regulation. Their level of angry ignorance (and threatening public behavior) just makes them seem like hostile people. Look at “mike” – a perfect example.

    1. You guys are so screwed up. I’ve got a garage full of tools that accomplish certain tasks, a gun is just another tool. Open carry attracts way too much attention, concealed much better.

  2. Ha, “Target, Chipotle, Sonic, Chili’s and Jack in the Box” did very little in Texas as not one of them put the official sign to stop those with conceal carry permits. And the NRA redacted that statement immediately after making it. This Moms Demand Action needs to keep her politics out of my state.

    1. A sign is not needed when your voice works. They said stay . If the people don’t comply with a polite request, an arrest for trespass can be arranged.

      1. Are you an attorney in Texas? no? My husband is and I specifically asked. Conceal and carry means you don’t see the gun. If they don’t see it – they don’t ask. If there is not a very specific sign out front stating they can con conceal and carry – you can. Besides, cops like CHL holders.

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