Walmart removes guns and ammunition from shelves ahead of US presidential election.

American retailer Walmart has decided to remove all of its guns and ammunition from its shelves before next week’s US presidential election.

The consumer giant, which has nearly 5,000 stores in the US, made the decision “out of caution.”

There has been a lot of social unrest in the United States in recent months with many serious incidents caused by the murder of black men by the police.

Currently, there is civil unrest in Philadelphia after police shot and killed a black man earlier this month.

In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, a Walmart spokesperson said: “We have seen some isolated civil unrest and, as we have done on several occasions over the past few years, we have removed our firearms and ammunition from the sales floor as a measure of caution. for the safety of our associates and clients ”.

While the guns and ammunition will not be visible to customers, they can still ask a staff member if they want to purchase a firearm. More than 2,000 Walmart stores sell firearms and ammunition.

A letter sent to store managers on Wednesday ordered staff to recall the firearms “due to the current unrest in isolated areas of the country and as a precaution.”

In 2019, Walmart stopped sales of handgun ammunition and some military-style rifles used in some hunting rifles. The move came after a deadly shooting at a Texas Walmart claimed 22 lives.