Mississippi Walmart boots 3 men with rifle, handgun, machete

COLUMBUS, Miss. (AP) — The states of Georgia and Mississippi have open-carry laws, meaning licensed gun owners can go around in public displaying their weapons. But businesses still have the right to prohibit weapons on their property.

That’s what happened in a Mississippi Walmart Monday night after three Georgia men went shopping while openly carrying an M-4 assault rifle, a handgun and a machete.

The Commercial Dispatch reported that a Walmart employee called police and then managers asked the men to leave once officers arrived.

Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton said the men left without incident. The Walmart store didn’t have a sign saying weapons are prohibited, but the chief said that doesn’t matter. He said anyone seeing someone carrying a weapon should call police and let officers determine if they pose a threat.