Lawsuits have been brought by families of the 21 victims of the Uvalde school shooting in Texas two years ago against the manufacturer of the AR-15 rifle used by the killers, as well as the maker of a video game, and Instagram parent company Meta.
The BBC reports that, in two new lawsuits, the families claim the companies helped promote dangerous weapons to a generation of “socially vulnerable” young men, including the 18-year- old gunman.
Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the attack at Robb Elementary School, two years ago on Friday.
According to the BBC, the dual lawsuits − filed in Texas and California − are against Activision, the developer of the military video game series “Call of Duty”; Daniel Defense, the gun manufacturer known for its high-end rifles; and Meta.
The companies are accused of being responsible for “grooming” a generation of young people who live out violent video game fantasies in the real world, with easily accessible weapons of war.
The gunman, Salvador Ramos, used an AR-15 rifle in the attack.
Attorneys for the families said in a statement: “There is a direct line between the conduct of these companies and the Uvalde shooting,”
They claim that the gunman had been playing ‘Call of Duty’, a war-based video game with a rifle similar to the one used in the shooting, since he was 15 years old, as well as that he was “simultaneously” the subject of “aggressive marketing” by Daniel Defense, which targeted the teen with ads on Instagram.
An Activision spokesperson is reported to have told CBS that the “Uvalde shooting was horrendous and heartbreaking in every way”, adding that the company expresses its “deepest sympathies” to victims and their families. The spokesman added: “Millions of people around the world enjoy video games without turning to horrific acts.”
The BBC notes that Daniel Defense, which is facing other lawsuits filed by some victims’ families, said in a 2022 statement that such litigation was “frivolous” and “politically motivated”.
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