Academy Sports has been forced to close its store in Joplin, MO as a result of a tornado that swept through the area.  The store will be closed indefinitely.

According to a statement from Elise Hasbrook, Academy Sport’s senior communications manager, the store sustained significant damage and two associates sustained minor injuries.

She also confirmed to the Joplin Independent that that on the evening of the storm staff secured all firearms and the next day they were removed from the scene. For added security, the parking lot was used as a hub for agencies involved in search and rescue operations, including the Joplin Fire Department, Joplin Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The statement came in response to local reports of looting, fatalities and the security of their firearms inventory and the current situation at the Range Line Road store.