Three days ago, Target enacted a new policy in which they asked customers to politely leave their guns at home or not bring them on the premises of any Target store. This was probably decided after a loaded gun was found in the toy aisle of one of their stores as reported here on The Inquisitr .
Unfortunately, their gun ban policy is proving to be problematic as numerous reports are coming in about Target’s customers getting robbed at gunpoint.
According to reports, including one in the Gainesville Times , Target shoppers at two different stores in Georgia have been robbed by armed assailants since the discount retailer announced the policy on July 2, 2014.
Perhaps as a reaction to the robberies, Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder said that there was no ban on guns, and it was just a “request” that the company hoped customers would honor. She said there would be no signs banning guns nor would customers with a gun be asked to leave.
Unfortunately, similar incidents have taken place at other Target stores. This includes a woman having her purse and car stolen by an armed assailant at a Target in Atlanta, and a man who was robbed of $500 at gunpoint at a Target on Shallowford Road, which is about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta.
It is possible Target didn’t understand that many gun-related crimes occur in gun-free zones, and their statement, though technically not banning guns, may have been enough to give the perception that their stores are easy pickings for would be criminals.
Jerry Henry, executive director for the website GeorgiaCarry.org , had this to say about Target:
“That’s what happens in gun-free zones. They actually should be called victim-enrichment zones because that what they are. If anyone want to commit a crime with impunity, take your gun where there are no guns. You can do what you want, get in and get out and there’s nobody to stop you.”
Prior to the incidents, the policy was getting both positive and negative feedback, especially on the Denver Post . What is unknown right now is if reports of Target customers being robbed at gunpoint will make the store reword or rethink their policy.
