Highland Park Shooting Survivors Sue Smith & Wesson
Facts
- Survivors and families of those killed in the July 4 mass shooting at a parade in Highland Park, Ill. filed 11 lawsuits Wednesday against gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson.
- The suit alleges that the gun manufacturer should've known its ads would appeal to potentially dangerous, “impulsive young men.” The ads reportedly used a shooter’s point-of-view popular in video games.
- These lawsuits are similar to a suit the families of the victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting filed against Remington Arms before reaching a settlement of $73M with the company.
- The group is also suing the accused gunman, Robert Crimo III, for assault and battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Crimo's father is also being sued for negligence because he sponsored his son’s application for a firearms license in 2019.
- Two gun sellers accused of violating a Highland Park ban on assault weapons, and the accused gunman’s hometown of Highwood, Ill. are also being sued.
- Crimo III, whom prosecutors say admitted to the killings, is facing 21 counts of first-degree murder, 48 counts of attempted murder, and 48 counts of aggravated battery. Police have identified his weapon as a Smith & Wesson M&P 15 semiautomatic rifle.
Sources: PBS NewsHour, New York Post, and USA Today.
Narratives
- Left narrative, as provided by Salon. Landmark lawsuits like this are likely to continue to hold gun manufacturers responsible for their weapons being used to commit atrocities. In turn, companies will look to avoid these suits by making their products safer and stopping their targeted advertising. Litigation is a major tool for fighting back against these mass shooting tragedies.
- Right narrative, as provided by The Heritage Foundation. It’s absurd to think that marketing by the gun industry causes acts of mass violence. When marketing a gun’s concealability, magazine capacity, or effectiveness, manufacturers are appealing to lawful gun users and can’t be accountable if a few end up in the hands of criminals. The government and activists should focus their energy and lawsuits on the criminals instead of the gun companies.