UVALDE, Texas – Two lawsuits filed in California and Texas on the second anniversary of the 2022 Robb Elementary School massacre in Uvalde, Texas, allege that Instagram and Call of Duty played a significant role in “grooming” the 18-year-old gunman responsible for the tragic incident. The families of the 19 fourth-graders and two educators who lost their lives in the shooting are seeking justice against the social media platform, video game company, and firearm manufacturer involved in the case.
According to the lawsuits, Instagram and the parent company of Call of Duty, along with the maker of the AK-47-style firearm used in the shooting, contributed to training and equipping the teenager for the mass killing. Attorney Josh Koskoff, representing the families, emphasized the direct connection between the companies’ actions and the Uvalde shooting, accusing them of exposing the gunman to the weapon, normalizing its use as a problem-solving tool, and providing training on its operation.
The legal documents reveal that Salvatore Ramos, the shooter, had been playing Call of Duty since the age of 15, using a version of the game that allowed him to practice with a similar rifle to the one used in the massacre. The families also alleged that Instagram failed to enforce its own rules against gun-related content, allowing a gunmaker to advertise and sell weapons online, including an ad featuring someone handling an assault-style rifle with the caption “Refuse to be a victim.”
Furthermore, the second lawsuit filed in Texas accused the firearm manufacturer of violating state law by allowing Ramos to create an account on their online store before turning 18, enabling him to purchase the weapon used in the shooting. The families’ attorneys highlighted the company’s marketing tactics on social media and through Call of Duty, targeting new customers and glorifying the use of their weapons in an unlawful and violent manner.
In response, a spokesperson for Activision, the video game company, extended condolences to the families affected by the tragedy but emphasized that millions of players worldwide enjoy their games without resorting to violent acts. Meta, the parent company of Instagram, and the firearm manufacturer did not provide comments on the lawsuits. These legal actions follow a $500 million lawsuit filed by other victims’ families against Texas state police officials and officers involved in a delayed response to the shooting, where law enforcement waited over an hour to confront the gunman inside the classroom.