The families of the victims killed in the Uvalde, Texas school shooting are suing Meta and developer Activision over allegations that they promoted the use of firearms to underage boys. both companies “knowingly exposed the Shooter to the weapon, conditioned him to see it as the solution to his problems, and trained him to use it.” It’s the kind of claim we’ve seen unsuccessfully thrown at video game companies numerous times in the past.
The complaint was filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday on behalf of around 45 family members. As noted in the lawsuit, the families accuse Activision and Meta of “grooming” young men and putting them on a path toward violent acts. On May 24th, 2022, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killing 21.
The lawsuit says that the gunman played “obsessively, developed skill as a marksman, and obtained rewards that become available only after a substantial time investment.” It also claims that the game features the AR-15 used in the shooting. At the same time, the lawsuit alleges that “the shooter was being courted through explicit, aggressive marketing” on Instagram that showed “hundreds of images depicting and venerating the thrill of combat.
” “Activision should stop training and habituating kids to kill” In addition to Activision and Meta, the families of the Uvalde victims are also suing Daniel Defense, the gun company that made the AR-15 used in the shooting. T.