Dick’s Sporting Goods CEO revealed in an interview with CBS News Sunday night that his company destroyed $5 million worth of “assault-style rifles” to keep them out of private hands.
CEO Ed Stack said after deciding not to sell the firearms rather than choosing to return them to manufacturers he opted to turn them into scrap metal.
“I said, ‘You know what? If we really think these things should be off the street, we need to destroy them,’” Stack told CBS News’ Lee Cowan.
Following the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla, Stack announced the Coraopolis, Pennsylvania-based chain would stop selling assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines. The shooter killed 17 students and school staff with a weapon purchased from a Dick’s location.
“We found out that we sold this kid a shotgun,” Stack said. “That’s when I said, ‘We’re done.'”
The CEO of Dick’s Sporting Goods says that after the company made the decision to no longer sell assault-style rifles, more than $5 million worth of the weapons were destroyed.
In an interview with CBS News that aired Sunday, Ed Stack said following the decision last year to stop offering assault-style rifles, the question of what to with the remaining inventory lingered.
“I said, ‘You know what? If we really think these things should be off the street, we need to destroy them,’” Stack said, adding that the company turned $5 million worth of the weapons into scrap metal.
Dick’s made the decision to stop carrying the rifles following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., which left 17 dead and reignited the national conversation surrounding gun control.
“We found out that we sold this kid a shotgun,” Stack said. “That’s when I said, ‘We’re done.’” More
Dick’s also revamped their firearm sales policy to require a minimum age of 21 for gun purchases. Stack said the moves resulted in a loss of $250 million in sales.
In November 2016, Dick’s stock was selling at just over $60/share. Today, it’s at $38/share, a huge loss.
Really?!
Will you ever shop at Dick's if they continue to support the Left's extreme views on gun control? 👈 https://t.co/dDfGtahyhB
— David J Harris Jr (@DavidJHarrisJr) October 7, 2019
“Boycotted them last year when they first said they were going to do this. There parking lot in my town has fewer vehicles in it since they did this” Kathy on Twitter responded.
Boycotted them last year when they first said they were going to do this. There parking lot in my town has fewer vehicles in it since they did this.
— Kathy (@kidsadancing) October 7, 2019
“Never. We refuse to step inside a @DICKS store. Just bought a kyack and it wasn’t at @DICKS just bought 2 fishing poles and equipment – not at @DICKS”
Never. We refuse to step inside a @DICKS store. Just bought a kyack and it wasn’t at @DICKS just bought 2 fishing poles and equipment – not at @DICKS
— CSH (@mrshobbs58) October 7, 2019
