Dick’s Sporting Goods announced Tuesday it will suspend the sale of sporting rifles at all of its stores nationwide due to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn. The suspension will include the Dick’s location at Salmon Run Mall in Watertown.

The announcement made on its website does not indicate how long the suspension will last. Along with the chainwide suspension, Dick’s removed all guns from sale and display at its store located the closest to Newtown.

A statement on Dick’s Sporting Goods website expresses sympathy for those involved in the tragedy: “We are extremely saddened by the unspeakable tragedy that occurred last week in Newtown, and our hearts go out to the victims and their families, and to the entire community.”

An employee from Gander Mountain who spoke with the Times Tuesday declined to say to whether the store’s firearm policy would change because of the Newtown shooting.

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