New York judge affirms law allowing suits against gunmakers
New York is pushing for legislation that allows those affected by shootings to file lawsuits against gun-making companies in the US.
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At a memorial outside the Tops supermarket in Buffalo where a gunman killed 10 people on May 14 (Getty)
A US federal court is backing up legislation in New York that allows for suits to be filed against gunmakers for their roles in shootings, state Attorney General Letitia James said Wednesday.
"In a major victory, a federal court affirmed my office's right to hold gun manufacturers accountable for the devastation caused by guns," James said via Twitter.
In a major victory, a federal court affirmed my office's right to hold gun manufacturers accountable for the devastation caused by guns.
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) May 25, 2022
As we mourn the innocent lives lost in Uvalde, Buffalo, and across the nation, this is a moment of light and hope.
"New York has a right to protect our residents and go after companies that cause us harm," she added, stressing the importance of using every tool they had to end gun violence and stand up to the "powerful forces," she said were to blame for "these weapons of death and destruction."
The decision came following a mass shooting that claimed the lives of at least 21 people at an elementary school in Texas, as well as another that claimed the lives of ten in a New York supermarket, which was carried out by a white supremacist.
An 18-year-old gunman shot dead 14 children and a teacher at a Texas elementary school on Tuesday, and the assailant "shot and killed, horrifically and incomprehensibly, 14 students and killed a teacher," Texas Governor Greg Abbott told a news conference.
Hours after the 18-year-old gunman killed at least 20 children and 2 adults at Uvalde elementary school in Texas, US President Joe Biden addressed the nation on Tuesday night, focusing on tighter gun control laws.
The United States was shaken earlier by the news of a white, gun-toting neo-Nazi teen carrying out a mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo. The spree has claimed the lives of at least 10 people.
The attacker drove more than 320 km (200 miles) from his home to the site, wearing military-style gear and clothing, namely a bulletproof vest, a tactical helmet, and camo fatigues.
The shooting was labeled a hate crime due to the fact that 11 out of 13 of Grendon's victims were black and varied between shoppers and employees, and the crime in its entirety was live-streamed on Twitch.
