Victims' families sue Meta, Call Of Duty creators and gun company

Families of some of the victims of the Uvalde school shooting have announced new lawsuits against three companies they say effectively helped “train” the shooter to carry out the attack.

A lawsuit against Meta Platforms, the parent company of Instagram, the creator of the Call Of Duty video game series and the company that made the weapon used in the May 2022 shooting, was announced today. occasion of the second anniversary of the attack in Texas, United States.

Salvador Ramos, 18, killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022.

The new court cases accuse the companies of colluding to promote and create content designed to glorify combat, gun violence and murder.

Josh Koskoff, an attorney for the families, called the companies a “three-headed monster” that “knowingly exposed [the gunman] with the gun, conditioned him to view it as a tool to solve his problems, and trained him to use it.”

“There is a direct link between the behavior of these companies and the Uvalde shooting,” Mr. Koskoff said.

According to the lawsuits, Ramos had been playing versions of Call Of Duty since he was 15, including one that allowed him to effectively practice with the version of the rifle he used at school.

He claims the company has created a “hyper-realistic” game in which “although the killing is virtual, the weapons are authentic – they are designed to perfectly mimic their real-life counterparts in look, feel, recoil and accuracy “.

The lawsuit claims Instagram does little to enforce rules banning the marketing of guns and content harmful to children.

It also accuses weapons manufacturer Daniel Defense of using the social media platform to help “tout the illegal and deadly use of its weapons.”

Some of these same families have also filed a $500 million (£392 million) lawsuit against Texas State Police officials and officers who responded to the shooting, but waited over an hour to face Ramos inside the classroom as students and teachers lay dead, dying or injured.

“Unfounded accusations”

Call Of Duty creators Activision called the shooting “horrific and heartbreaking in every way.”

The company added its “deepest condolences” to the “families and communities who remain impacted by this senseless act of violence.”

But he adds: “Millions of people around the world enjoy video games without turning to horrible acts.”

The Entertainment Software Association – a video game industry trade group – also said it was “outraged by senseless acts of violence”, but stopped short of blaming the violence on games, arguing that research has not found no link.

“We discourage baseless accusations linking these tragedies to video gaming, which undermine efforts to focus on the core issues at hand and guard against future tragedies,” the group said.

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Daniel Defense and Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

This is not the first lawsuit filed following the shooting.

In December 2022, a group of different plaintiffs filed a separate lawsuit against local and state police, the city and other schools and law enforcement, seeking at least $27 billion (£21 billion). sterling) and class action status for survivors.

At least two other lawsuits have also been filed against Daniel Defense.

To mark the second anniversary of the shooting, members of the Uvalde community held a vigil to honor those killed.

In a letter, President Joe Biden said: “As we celebrate this solemn day, may we pray for those we have lost, their loved ones, and all those who have been injured. »