Since 2020, there have been about 500 shootings at major supermarket chains in America, study finds

As the United States grapples with mass shootings, supermarkets have become a battleground. Some gun-control advocates want companies to do more.

The Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, New York, became the latest store to experience a deadly mass shooting when 10 people were murdered by a white supremacist last month. In the past few years, there have been mass shootings at King Soopers in Boulder, Colorado, a Weis Markets in Eaton Township, Pennsylvania, and a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. According to exclusive data from gun-control advocacy group Guns Down America, supermarkets have long been the target of gun violence. In the past two years, the group found that nearly 500 incidents involving firearms have happened in large grocery chains.

Guns Down America used the Gun Violence Archive to track gun deaths and incidents from January 1, 2020 to May 14, 2022. There were 448 incidents and 137 deaths in 12 large national retailers. According to Guns Down America, there are four shootings a week at large supermarket chains.

There is a whole range of actions they can take in order to be part of the solution, not only on a moral level, but also on a more pragmatic business level. If retailers care about the safety of their customers, employees, and communities, they must help lead during a period of federal inaction.

Guns Down America sent out messages to companies like Walmart that called on them to lobby for gun-violence prevention, instead of cutting ties with lawmakers who support the National Rifle Association.

Walmart, the largest retailer in the United States, saw the most violence, with over 300 gun incidents and 89 firearm-related deaths.

There were 36 gun incidents and 16 deaths at Kroger. There were 29 incidents and eight deaths at Ahold Delhaize's Food Lion and Stop and Shop. Safeway had 22 incidents and seven deaths, while Publix had 16 incidents and five deaths, and Aldi had nine incidents and four deaths. Whole Foods, H-E-B, and ShopRite were also included in the analysis.

The retailers on Guns Down America's list did not immediately respond to Insider's requests.

Volsky told Insider that his group falls into several categories. Most of the deaths were homicides, although there were a few suicides as well. There were disagreements between armed parties, armed robberies, and random shootouts.

Volsky said businesses are left with traumatized employees and customers, higher turnover and insurance rates, and the perception that the shopping environment isn't safe.

Businesses across America need to start acting like it.