Publisher of Call of Duty, Maker of AR-15 Style Rifle and Meta Named in Wrongful Death Lawsuits by Families of Uvalde Victims
Families of Uvalde Victims File Wrongful Death Lawsuits Against Call of Duty Publisher, AR-15 Maker, and Meta
Three major companies are facing wrongful death lawsuits linked to the 2022 Uvalde school shooting, with complaints filed in California and Texas. The lawsuits, brought by families of the victims, claim that Meta, Activision, and Daniel Defense played roles in influencing the shooter, Salvador Ramos.
The lawsuits follow a $2 million settlement announced Wednesday between 19 families of victims and the city. The families allege that the companies “groomed” Ramos, leading to his horrific actions at Robb Elementary School.
According to a complaint filed in California, Ramos downloaded “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” in November 2021. The game, published by Activision, featured a weapon from Daniel Defense, the DDM4 V7, which Ramos later purchased. The suit argues that the game served as a teaser for the weapon, contributing to Ramos’ actions.
Simultaneously, the lawsuit claims Ramos was exposed to aggressive marketing on Instagram, owned by Meta. The complaint states that Daniel Defense used Instagram to glorify the use of its weapons in combat, which influenced Ramos. “Within weeks of downloading Modern Warfare, the Shooter was browsing assault weapons, acquiring firearm attachments popularized by the game, and returning repeatedly to Daniel Defense’s website,” the suit alleges.
On May 16, 2022, Ramos purchased a DDM4V7 on his 18th birthday, and eight days later, he carried out the deadly attack, killing 21 people and injuring many others. Investigators found one of Ramos’ AR-15-style rifles, made by Daniel Defense, at the scene.
The lawsuits argue that the companies bear responsibility for influencing Ramos and contributing to the tragedy. “In concert with certain firearm manufacturers, they have groomed a generation of young men who are socially vulnerable, insecure about their masculinity, and eager to show strength and assert dominance,” the California suit states.
In Texas, the lawsuit claims that Daniel Defense targets adolescents by exploiting social media and first-person shooter games to attract teenagers to its website. Once there, the company allegedly monitors their activity, profiles their interests, and solicits their contact information.
Josh Koskoff, an attorney for the families, stated: “There is a direct line between the conduct of these companies and the Uvalde shooting. This three-headed monster knowingly exposed him to the weapon, conditioned him to see it as a tool to solve his problems, and trained him to use it.”
Activision responded, saying, “The Uvalde shooting was 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.”
Meta and Daniel Defense have yet to comment on the lawsuits.