Area shoppers mixed about chain’s announcement,

‘Of course, everybody wants to be more safe. But everybody wants their rights.’

Tino Nguyen

Shopping at North Austin Dick’s Sporting Goods

Hours after Dick’s Sporting Goods Chairman and CEO Ed Stack announced Wednesday the nationwide store chain will stop selling assault-style rifles and ban the sale of all guns to anyone under 21, customers outside a location in North Austin expressed support and disappointment to the moves.

“I think it’s an overreaction,” Margaret Boren said in front of the Dick’s store on Kramer Lane. “It’s sad, there needs to be more done to protect the kids in school. However, controlling the guns is not the issue. This country has had guns throughout its entire history . ... It has become an issue because of social media, and because children are not taught values anymore. And that’s it.”

Langston Holmberg, who had just bought a pair of sunglasses from the store, said he thinks the policy changes are a “step in the right direction.” Holmberg said inaction in Congress and at the Legislature has pushed citizens and businesses to make changes themselves.

“I think as the students and consumers are standing up and showing their voice, changes are happening a lot quicker than counting on the politicians,” Holmberg said. “I think that’s a sign, right there.”

Anthony Stephens said he does not anticipate Dick’s policy changes will lead to new gun control measures.

“All semiautomatic weapons are going to be a fact of life,” Stephens said. “Pretty much the Second Amendment is going to cover any legislation that you want. So I don’t see that policy being reflected by most of the population. I don’t think it’ll ever even come to a vote, but if it does, there’s no way that it passes.”

Tino Nguyen said he isn’t a gun owner and isn’t planning on buying a gun, but he opposed the idea of banning the sale of assault-style rifles. He does, however, support raising the age requirement to 21 to buy guns.

“I think 21 is better than 18, for sure,” Nguyen said. “Of course, everybody wants to be more safe. But everybody wants their rights.”

The company banned assault-style style rifles in Dick’s stores after the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012, but continued to sell them in their 35 Field & Stream stores, one of which is in Cedar Park. The ban will now expand to include the Field & Stream stores.