Multiple States File Lawsuits Against Firearms Manufacturers Over Gun Violence

Sixteen state attorneys general are joining together to combat gun violence, with the first action being to file lawsuits in two state courts against the gunmaker Glock, alleging that the company’s firearms violate state laws.

According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) provisional data published by Johns Hopkins University in September 2024, there were 46,728 Americans killed by gun violence in 2023. That figure is nearly 14% higher than the number of people that federal regulators estimate died in traffic accidents that same year.

On December 12, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced in a press release that he is forming a multistate coalition of 16 attorneys general who will hold the firearms industry responsible for the number of deaths perpetrated by gun violence in the United States.

The coalition is composed of attorneys general from the following states:

• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Hawaii
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• New Jersey
• Nevada
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• Vermont

The first action being taken by the coalition is for attorneys general from the states of New Jersey and Minnesota to file lawsuits in their respective state courts against the firearm manufacturer Glock.

Glock handguns can allegedly be configured to fire automatically, simply with the help of an inexpensive add-on, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch,” making them illegal in some U.S. states, including Minnesota and New Jersey.

Platkin contends that Glock has known about this ability for their handguns to be converted to automatic weapons for decades, but the company has refused to take action.

None of the other states are taking part in the individual state lawsuits being brought against Glock, although many of the states have taken their own actions against handgun manufacturers in recent years, Platkin points out.

The District of Columbia filed a lawsuit against ghost gun manufacturer and distributor Polymer80 in 2020, for selling unserialized, untraceable firearms to residents of Washington, DC, eventually winning a $4 million court judgment against the company.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta together with the San Francisco District Attorney also sued three manufacturers of ghost gun kits in 2021, which resulted in the companies paying $675,000 in civil penalties.

In addition, Maryland, Connecticut and Delaware have all filed lawsuits against firearm retailers and dealers in recent years.

“Together with my fellow Attorneys General, I will fight to protect our state residents from the wanton disregard for human life caused by bad actors in the firearms industry, which contribute to rising gun violence,” Platkin said. “This is not about curtailing lawful gun ownership. This is about protecting our communities from irresponsible business practices that contribute to unsafe gun proliferation, the kind that leads to mass shootings in our churches, synagogues, schools, shopping malls, concerts, and supermarkets.”

Platkin also points out that gun violence can be measured in economic costs as well as its effect on human lives. According to a Joyce Foundation report referenced in Platkin’s press release, gun violence costs the U.S. more than $500 billion in economic losses each year.