Uvalde families sue Call of Duty maker, Instagram parent company
UVALDE, Texas - Families of the victims of the deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas filed multiple lawsuits against companies they believe, in different ways, allowed the tragedy to happen.
One of the lawsuits names multiple video game companies, Microsoft, and Instagram parent company Meta, among others.
The families claim the companies bear responsibility for the products used by the teenage gunman.
19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School were shot and killed on March 24, 2022 by an 18-year-old gunman.
READ MORE: Uvalde School Shooting: DOJ report released, finds 'failures,' 'lack of urgency' in response
According to the filings, the shooter had played versions of Call of Duty since he was 15, including one that allowed him to practice with the type of rifle he used at Robb Elementary School.
The families also accused Instagram of doing little to enforce its rules that ban marketing firearms and harmful content to children.
"Over the last 15 years, two of America’s largest technology companies— Defendants [Call of Duty maker] Activision and Meta—have partnered with the firearms industry in a scheme that makes the Joe Camel campaign look harmless, even quaint," reads the lawsuit.
The suit claims that the technology companies have given the gun industry "unprecedented, direct, 24/7 access to children" in an effort to extend their market to children.
The Uvalde shooter opened an online account with Daniel Defense before his 18th birthday and purchased the rifle as soon as he could, according to the lawsuit.
"Defendants are luring in underage, alienated teenage boys and grooming mass shooters. Before the Uvalde school shooter, there was the Parkland school shooter, and before him, the Sandy Hook school shooter. These were the three most deadly K-12 school shootings in American history. In each one, the shooter was between the ages of 18 and 21 years old; in each one, the shooter was a devoted player of Call of Duty; and in each one, the shooter committed their attack in tactical gear, wielding an assault rifle," reads the lawsuit.
Microsoft's Xbox One video game console and Activision Blizzard's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare video game arranged in Denver, Colorado, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022. Microsoft Corp. agreed to buy Activision Blizzard Inc. in a $68.7 billion deal, u
The lawsuits were filed in California, where Activision and Meta are headquartered.
Activision called the Uvalde shooting "horrendous and heartbreaking in every way, and we express our deepest sympathies to the families and communities who remain impacted by this senseless act of violence. Millions of people around the world enjoy video games without turning to horrific acts."
A video game industry trade group also pushed back on blaming games for violence, arguing research has found no link.
"We are saddened and outraged by senseless acts of violence. At the same time, we discourage baseless accusations linking these tragedies to video gameplay, which detract from efforts to focus on the root issues in question and safeguard against future tragedies," the Entertainment Software Association said.
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Uvalde school shooting: Families announce $2M settlement with city, suit against state police
The families of 19 victims of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde announced a $2 million settlement with the city on Wednesday and a lawsuit against dozens of state police officers.
The lawsuit is one of several filed by the families of Uvalde victims this week.
Gun manufacturer Daniel Defense was named in a lawsuit filed in Uvalde County. Another sued the state and local law enforcement who waited outside the classroom for more than an hour before confronting the gunman.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.