Home » Connecticut Supreme Court Rules Sandy Hook Families Can Sue Gun Manufacturer

Access ManagementEducation: K-12Fire & Life SafetyGovernment: Federal, State and LocalIdentity ManagementPhysical SecuritySecurity Newswire

Connecticut Supreme Court Rules Sandy Hook Families Can Sue Gun Manufacturer

March 23, 2019

No Comments

A Connecticut Supreme Court has ruled that gun maker Remington can be sued over how it marketed the Bushmaster rifle used to kill children and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.

Justices issued a 4-3 decision that reinstated a wrongful-death lawsuit and overturned a lower-court ruling that the lawsuit was prohibited by a 2005 federal law that shields gun manufacturers from liability in most cases when their products are used in crimes.

The original lawsuit was filed by nine families of the victims in Sandy Hook and a teacher who was injured in the shooting. It names gun manufacturers and distributors Bushmaster, Remington, Camfour Holdings LLP, and Riverview Gun Sales Inc., the gun shop where the shooter's mother purchased the Bushmaster AR-15 rifle, and the store's owner.

The decision will allow the families to pursue one of their claims in the case: that Remington, the rifle manufacturer, knowingly marketed the gun to "carry out offensive, military style combat missions against their perceived enemies."

In their original complaint, the families outlined some of the marketing practices allegedly used by Bushmaster. "The Bushmaster Defendant's 2012 Bushmaster Product Catalog shows soldiers moving on patrol through the jungles, armed with Bushmaster rifles," the lawsuit reads. "Superimposed over the silhouette of a soldier holding his helmet against the backdrop of an American flag is text that reads 'when you need to perform under pressure, Bushmaster delivers.'"

Remington has denied wrongdoing, saying that it could not have known what the gun would be used for.

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

A critical event is defined as an incident that disrupts normal operations, such as severe weather, crime, violence and critical equipment or technology failures. Business continuity and crisis response plans can only go so far if there isn't buy-in across functions, with executive-level support.

How CISOs Can Turn Security Training and Awareness into Action

In this webinar, security expert Pieter Danhieux explores how CISOs and CIOs can inspire real change, fostering a positive security culture that enables their development teams to become more security-aware, more aligned with internal AppSec specialists and, ultimately, securing code as it is written.

Poll

Mass Notification

View Results

Poll Archive

Products

Effective Security Management, 6th Edition

Effective Security Management, 5e, teaches practicing security professionals how to build their careers by mastering the fundamentals of good management. Charles Sennewald brings a time-tested blend of common sense, wisdom, and humor to this bestselling introduction to workplace dynamics.

See More Products

Security Magazine

2019 August

Our August issue cover story features Steve Baker, CSO at State Street Corporation. Also in August, how did a Guidewell Security team member save a life? And learn how digital technology and IoT devices can combat both physical and cyberattacks.

View More Subscribe

Connecticut Supreme Court Rules Sandy Hook Families Can Sue Gun Manufacturer

Related Articles

Sandy Hook Families Sue Estate of Shooter's Mother

Sandy Hook Families Sue Newtown, Schools for Lax Security

Report Abusive Comment

Security Magazine

2019 August