Charlotte-area moms to protest gun policies at Harris Teeter

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-area members of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America visited a Harris Teeter store Saturday.

They cut up their VIC loyalty cards at the Myers Park Harris Teeter and said that they will do their Super Bowl Sunday shopping at stores with gun-sense policies.

Harris Teeter currently allows the open carry of firearms in its stores. Moms Demand Action said the company is putting the safety and security of its customers and employees at risk.

Danna Jones, the Harris Teeter communication manager, commented on the issue.

"Harris Teeter takes very seriously its responsibility to provide both its associates and its customers a safe environment in which to work and shop. We have and will continue to adhere to the firearms and concealed handgun laws as outlined by the states in which we do business. We believe this issue is best handled by lawmakers, not retailers," Jones said.

North Carolina law allows people to openly carry loaded rifles and shotguns in public.

Organizers of the event said despite complaints from concerned customers, Kroger Family of Stores, the second largest retailer in the country and the nation's largest supermarket retailer, continues to allow shoppers to openly carry guns inside stores and on their properties.

Kroger has owned the Harris Teeter brand since January 2014.

"All I should be worried about during my Super Bowl shopping is whether or not there will be any salsa left at the store, but shopping at Harris Teeter means I also need to worry about my safety," said Christy Clark, a volunteer with North Carolina chapter of Moms Demand Action. "Instead of protecting its customers, Kroger and Harris Teeter are asking moms and families to decide whether somebody with a gun in the store is an individual just making a political statement or a criminal. I'll be doing my Super Bowl shopping at a store with gun sense."

WSOC