Uvalde, Texas – Families of the victims from a tragic shooting in Uvalde have taken legal action against Daniel Defense, the manufacturer of the AR-15 assault rifle, Activision, the publisher of the popular video game series “Call of Duty,” and Meta, the parent company of Instagram. The lawsuit alleges that these companies collaborated to market the weapon to young boys through the video game and social media platforms.
The lawsuit was filed on the two-year anniversary of the shooting, where the 18-year-old shooter, Salvador Ramos, used a DDM4V7 rifle to kill 19 students and two teachers while injuring 17 others. According to the families’ attorney, Josh Koskoff, Ramos had been playing a version of “Call of Duty” and posting about weapons on Instagram leading up to the shooting.
Koskoff stated, “This three-headed monster knowingly exposed him to the weapon, conditioned him to see it as a tool to solve his problems, and trained him to use it.” None of the companies involved have provided immediate comments on the lawsuit.
The suit argues that the “Call of Duty” franchise features realistic depictions of gun violence, with weapons designed to closely resemble real firearms. It also claims that Instagram allowed for the promotion of assault weapons to teenagers, praising lone gunmen and hypermasculinity.
The families’ lawsuit further alleges that the shooter had been influenced by aggressive marketing tactics on Instagram, leading him to research firearms and eventually purchase the DDM4 V7 rifle. The legal action is part of ongoing criminal and civil proceedings following the tragic incident.
In a separate development, 19 families have reached a settlement with the city of Uvalde, where the city will pay out $2 million from its insurance coverage. As part of the settlement, the families will work with the city to enhance the Uvalde Police Department and create a permanent memorial in honor of the victims.
Moreover, the families have announced lawsuits against 92 Texas Department of Public Safety officers, as well as the Uvalde School District and some of its employees. The legal process is expected to include the federal government, given the involvement of over 150 federal officers during the shooting incident.