A wrongful-death lawsuit filed against Remington Arms over the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting massacre was dismissed.
Connecticut State Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis said federal law shields gun manufacturers from most lawsuits over criminal use of their products. The AR-15 Bushmaster rifle made by Remington Arms was used in the incident.
The federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, passed by Congress in 2005, shields gun manufacturers from liability when their firearms are used in crimes. Lawyers for Remington said Congress passed the act after determining such lawsuits were an abuse of the legal system.
Families charged that the semi-automatic rifle is too dangerous for the public and described it as a “military killing machine.” Advocates for gun control and against gun violence have criticized the law as special protection for gun producers.
The lawsuit was filed by the family members of 10 of the people killed at Sandy Hook, as well as a surviving teacher. Overall, 26 people, including 20 children, died. Attorneys representing the families have promised to seek to appeal the decision.
Families are also suing firearms distributor Camfour and Riverview Gun Sales, the retailer that sold the rifle. Riverview Gun Sales has since closed its doors following the Sandy Hook shooting.
