Politics & Government

Should the New South Gate Walmart Sell Guns and Ammunition?

The city is in talks with the retail giant about whether or not it will sell gun and ammunition at the new location scheduled to open in South Gate.

At a Monday night City Council candidates forum incumbent Councilman Bill De Witt said while answering a question about gun control that the city is in talks with Walmart over the possibility of limiting gun and ammunition sales at the new location scheduled to open in South Gate at the Azalea Regional Shopping Center.

De Witt noted that Walmart does sell guns and ammunition at many of its locations but said he would like to see them limit their sales in some way in South Gate.

"We're in discussions at this time with the folks at Walmart - because they do sell guns at different locations and ammunition- to see if we can limit the sale of those items at the store," De Witt said.

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The answer came during a broader discussion of gun control in which De Witt, incumbent Councilman Gil Hurtado and candidate Ricardo Reyes all showed some level of support for limited gun control measures.  Their full answers to that question can be viewed on right and the entire Patch-sponsored forum is viewable here.

Construction began on the $80 million shopping mall on Firestone and Atlantic Boulevard in October and Walmart has been announced as one of the tenants.  The city provided financing to the total of $12.7 million for public improvement projects for the development.

Find out what's happening in South Gate-Lynwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The question on gun control at Monday's forum was submitted by at least one audience member, showing some level of public concern about gun violence in the city.  

Do you have concerns about guns being sold at the South Gate Walmart? Why or why not?  Tell us in the comments.


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