Walmart has announced it is pulling firearms and ammunition from the shelves of its US stores. These items will still be available for purchase, however, you'll need to ask an associate to fetch them for you. Half of the company's 4,700 US stores sell firearms and ammo.

The move is happening ahead of next week's highly contentious election and in the wake of riots and looting in Philadelphia.

The company claims it's being cautious in light of current social unrest in several areas of the country.

“We have seen some isolated civil unrest and as we have done on several occasions over the last few years, we have moved our firearms and ammunition off the sales floor as a precaution for the safety of our associates and customers,” Walmart said in a statement. “These items do remain available for purchase by customers.”

This is not the first time Walmart has removed firearms and ammo from the sales floor. Dakota News Now reports it happened in June following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

In September 2019, Walmart announced it would discontinue the sale of short-barrel rifle and handgun ammunition nationwide. A company spokesman told Fox News at the time, "We're focusing on the hunters and sports shooting enthusiasts that we've always served."

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