Gun Accessory Manufacturer to Pay $1.75 Million and Halt New York Sales After Buffalo Shooting Lawsuit
In a significant legal resolution tied to the 2022 racist mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, the maker of a firearm accessory has agreed to pay $1.75 million to survivors and victims' families and will stop selling the device in the state. New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the settlement on Wednesday, marking a pivotal moment in the aftermath of the tragedy that claimed ten Black lives at a Tops Friendly Market supermarket.
Settlement Details and Legal Actions
The agreement involves Georgia-based Mean Arms, which produced a magazine lock accessory. This device is designed to prevent the swapping of high-capacity magazines, which are illegal in New York. However, according to Attorney General James, the gunman, Payton Gendron, easily removed the lock from his AR-15-style rifle, enabling him to use high-capacity magazines during the attack. James emphasized that the company provided step-by-step instructions on its product packaging for removing the lock, which she argued contributed to the ease of the modification.
"We hope that by holding this manufacturer accountable and banning it from selling this device in New York state, we can offer the people of Buffalo some measure of comfort," James, a Democrat, stated during a news conference in Buffalo. The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed by James and covers claims from various victims' families and survivors.
In addition to the settlement with Mean Arms, plaintiffs' lawyers announced that separate agreements have been reached to resolve suits against the gunman's family and a gun seller, Vintage Firearms LLC. Everytown Law, which represented some of the survivors and relatives, noted that Vintage Firearms has permanently closed, and its owner has agreed to refrain from obtaining a federal firearms license in the future. Settlements with Gendron's parents remain confidential, according to Eric Tirschwell of Everytown Law.
Victims' Perspectives and Community Impact
Several victims' relatives joined Attorney General James at the news conference, expressing that the settlement represents a step toward justice. "No one should be able to come into a store and, in two minutes, inflict so much damage to a community, to a family, to children," said Pamela Pritchett, whose mother, Pearl Young, was killed in the shooting. Young, a 77-year-old Sunday school teacher who operated a food pantry, was among the ten victims, who ranged in age from 32 to 86 and included individuals such as a security guard, a man shopping for a birthday cake, a grandmother of nine, and the mother of a former Buffalo fire commissioner.
The attack, which authorities say was racially motivated, targeted the Tops supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood. Gendron, who is white, is currently serving a life sentence without parole after pleading guilty to multiple state charges, including murder, in November 2022. A federal trial on hate crime and weapons counts is expected to begin this year, with the Justice Department seeking the death penalty; Gendron has pleaded not guilty to these federal charges.
Broader Implications and Ongoing Legal Proceedings
This settlement underscores ongoing efforts to hold manufacturers accountable in gun violence cases. Messages seeking comment from Mean Arms and its attorney were not immediately returned, and attorneys for Gendron's parents and Vintage Firearms declined to comment. The resolution highlights the intersection of product liability, gun regulation, and community healing in the wake of mass shootings.
As Buffalo continues to recover from the devastating event, the legal actions serve as a reminder of the far-reaching consequences of such tragedies. The ban on sales of the accessory in New York aims to prevent similar incidents, while the financial compensation provides some relief to those affected. The case also reflects broader national debates over gun safety and the role of accessory manufacturers in ensuring their products do not facilitate illegal modifications.
