Dick’s Sporting Goods was slapped with a Lawsuit from 20-year-old Tyler Watson after the company refused to sell him a Ruger .22 rifle. In a separate but similar case, the young adult is also suing Walmart for “Unlawful Age Discrimination.”

The first suit against Dick’s claims Taylor went into sports retailer Field and Stream to purchase a rifle around February 24. However, the store’s employee would not sell him one, citing the company’s age-restriction policy. Field and Stream is a subsidiary of Dick’s Sporting Goods, which announced the new gun policy four days after Watson came into the store.

Dick’s policy may violate state law

According to documents filed in the Circuit Court of Oregon for the County of Jackson, Watson contends that the policy violates Oregon state law by discriminating against people between ages 18 and 20.

Per state law, a person, 18 and over, can legally buy a gun. State statute also prohibits stores, open to the general public, from creating policies that single out a specific age group, race, religion, or sexual orientation. Oregon only restricts anyone, 20 and under, from buying alcohol and marijuana.

Attorney Max Whittington told The Oregonian that Watson just wanted to get a rifle and wasn’t aware of the policy when he entered the store. Watson already owns several firearms.

Walmart gets hit with a similar suit from Watson

Watson was hit with a similar roadblock when he tried to purchase a gun from Walmart a few days later. An employee of the giant retailer also refused to sell a rifle or ammunition to the 20-year-old “on or about March 3.” Subsequently, Watson has also filed a suit against Walmart.

In an email to The Oregonian, Walmart spokesman Randy Hargrove wrote that the company had increased the age from 18 to 21 after reviewing their firearm sales policy as a result of the tragic shooting in Parkland, Florida. He further added that Walmart intends to keep the policy in place and will fight Watson’s pending lawsuit.

Outcome may force companies to change the 21 and older stance

In addition to asking for punitive damages and attorney fees, Watson wants a judge to force the retailers to reverse the purported unlawful, age-restriction policy. On February 28, both Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart announced that they would no longer allow anyone under 21 to purchase rifles or ammunition. Federal law already prohibits the sale of handguns to people under age 21.