No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsCrimeUS families of Sandy Hook massacre victims sue gunmaker

US families of Sandy Hook massacre victims sue gunmaker

NEW YORK – Families of victims in the 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre filed a U.S. lawsuit Monday seeking damages from the manufacturers of the high-powered assault rifle used in the slaughter.

The lawsuit was lodged a day after the two-year anniversary of the horrific shooting that claimed the lives of 26 people, among them 20 young children.

The suit aims to hold the makers of the deadly AR-15, Bushmaster, liable for wrongful death and negligence.

It says 20-year-old killer Adam Lanza would never have been able to carry out his 264-second attack if he had not had access to a high-capacity weapon which had been “specifically engineered” for the United State military for use in combat.

“The number of lives lost in those 264 seconds was made possible by the shooter’s weapon of choice: a Bushmaster AR-15 Rifle, model XM15-E2S,” the lawsuit alleged.

“The AR-15 was specifically engineered for the United States military to meet the needs of changing warfare,” said attorney Josh Koskoff, representing the families.

“One of the Army’s specifications for the AR-15 was that it has the capability to penetrate a steel helmet. This weapon was not designed for home defense or hunting.

“This weapon was designed to efficiently kill other human beings in combat.”

Connecticut State Police/Handout/WikiMedia Commons
Connecticut State Police/Handout/WikiMedia Commons

Nine families who lost a child or an adult during Lanza’s rampage at Newtown on December 14, 2012 have joined the lawsuit. Natalie Hammond, a teacher who was shot but survived the assault, has also joined the case.

Sandy Hook, which took place just before Christmas and whose victims were mostly children aged between 6 and 7, shocked the world and reignited a national debate in the U.S. about gun control.

However, moves to introduce a modest tightening of gun control laws foundered in Congress despite overwhelming public support.

The suit lodged on Monday also seeks damages from Camfour, an arms distributor based in Massachusetts, and Riverview Gun Sales, the Connecticut shop where Lanza’s mother bought the weapon used in the attack in March 2010.

Trending Now

Costa Rica Launches Traceability System to Tackle Illegal Logging

Costa Rica is advancing with the creation of a National Forest Traceability System, a key tool to guarantee the legality and sustainability of timber...

Can Costa Rica’s Blue Zone Preserve Its Longevity Legacy?

The Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica is recognized worldwide as one of the five blue zones, where people live beyond the age of 90...

Why I Choose Real Life in Costa Rica Over the AI Hype

When it comes to AI, call me OG. Old school. I sometimes wish I could go back to a time before it existed. Artificial...

Remittances to Central America Surge 20% Amid U.S. Deportation Fears

Family remittances in Central America grew by around 20% in the first half of 2025, according to official data—a rise that experts attribute to...

Costa Rica Court Sanctions Road Official Over Delayed Wildlife Crossings

Costa Rica’s wildlife faces perils, as authorities have continously failed to build wildlife crossings. Nonetheless, the Constitutional Court has taken a firm stance in...

Costa Rica Faces Economic Blow as Intel, Pfizer, and Qorvo Announce Restructuring

Intel announced that it will shut down its chip assembly and test plant in Costa Rica, part of a broader global restructuring aimed at...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica