Amazon, Walmart, Sears And K-Mart Hit With Fines Over Toy Gun Sales

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced earlier today that he has fined Walmart, Amazon, Kmart, Sears, and a California-based company ACTA more than $300,000 for selling life-like toy weapons in store and online.

The retailers were found in violation of New York state laws that prohibit the sale of toy guns that look like real guns. His investigation found that between 2012 and 2014, these companies raked up more than 6,400 toy weapon sales that violated this law.

The investigation started after 12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot and killed in an Ohio playground by police officers who mistook Rice’s toy gun for a real weapon.

Of all 5 retailers, Walmart has been fined the most. They have agreed to pay $225,000 in fines. Not because they have the most violations, but because they violated a similar 2003 agreement they made with the Attorney General's office.

From buzzfeed.com -

“We are pleased that we were able to resolve the Attorney General’s concerns regarding toy gun sales in a mutually satisfactory way. We remain committed to meeting the needs of our many customers and members in New York,” Chris Braithwaite, spokesperson for Sears and Kmart said in a statement to BuzzFeed News.

“Once the New York attorney general expressed concern with certain items sold at Walmart.com we blocked the shipment of those items into the state,” Walmart spokesperson Randy Hargrove said.

Hargrove said Walmart has revised its policy so only items that comply with the New York City code are shipped into New York.