20-Year-Old Oregon Man Sues Dick’s, Walmart Over New Gun Policies

March 12, 2018

A 20-year-old man from Oregon has filed lawsuits against Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart, alleging the two retailers discriminated against him when they refused to sell him a rifle this week because of his age.

Dick’s and Walmart restricted gun sales to people 21 and older in the wake of the Florida high school massacre. The 19-year-old accused in the school slaying legally bought the AR-15 used in the attack.

The lawsuits, obtained by The Associated Press, are believed to be the first filed over the new gun policies enacted in the wake of the Feb. 14 shooting in Florida.

Oregon law allows residents to buy shotguns or rifles starting at 18.

Tyler Watson’s lawsuits filed against the retailers in two separate counties claim he faced age discrimination from Dick’s and Walmart.

The lawsuits in Jackson and Josephine counties both ask a judge to put a stop to the retailers’ new gun sale policies and award punitive damages because of the “willful nature of the discrimination.”

Legal papers say a store owned by Dick’s Sporting Goods in Medford, Oregon, refused to sell Watson a .22-caliber Ruger rifle on Feb. 24. The suit says a Walmart in Grants Pass, Oregon, refused to sell him an unspecified type of rifle on March 3.

Watson did not know about the restrictions when he tried to buy a rifle, his attorney Max Whittington, told The Oregonian/OregonLive. Whittington did not immediately return a call from the AP.

Watson is not part of an organized effort to push back against the retailers’ policy, the lawyer added.

“He was really just trying to buy a rifle,” Whittington told the newspaper.

Watson, of Gold Hill, Oregon, could not be reached for comment.

Walmart spokesman Randy Hargrove said the retailer plans to defend the new policy.

“We stand behind our decision and plan to defend it,” he said. “While we haven’t seen the complaint, we will respond as appropriate with the court.”

A representative from Dick’s didn’t immediately return a call from The AP.

Topics Lawsuits Oregon Gun Liability

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Latest Comments

  • October 22, 2018 at 11:56 am
    Joe says:
    Both sets of discrimination are just as illegal under the same state statute regardless of your opinions. Don't deny the danger of pastries; obesity kills approximately 300,00... read more
  • October 22, 2018 at 11:19 am
    Joe says:
    Why would they? Whether you like it or not, the stores are undeniably breaking the state's anti-discrimination laws. Oregon's Bureau of Labor and Industries ruled in the favor... read more
  • June 11, 2018 at 11:07 am
    James says:
    A bunch of commentors are in the early stages of ideological subversion, i see. How do you think it starts, losing the 2nd amendment entirely? You all give it up yourselves, l... read more

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