"(Crimo) and other would-be mass shooters are highly susceptible to the disturbing promotional messages from Smith & Wesson," the lawsuits said.
It also included the use of social media influencers and ads resembling first-person shooter games like "Call of Duty." That marketing included the "M&P" name, for "military and police," which they said falsely implied an endorsement by the U.S.
Wednesday's lawsuits allege that Smith & Wesson knowingly advertised its weapons, including the M&P-model rifle used by Crimo, to appeal to "militaristic fantasies" of troubled young men. Robert Crimo, 21, was arrested for the shooting hours later and pleaded not guilty to 117 counts including first-degree murder. Six people were killed and more than 36 wounded at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois after a gunman opened fire on the crowd from a rooftop. Smith & Wesson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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In a series of lawsuits filed in Lake County, Illinois Circuit Court, the survivors, including relatives of those killed, said the Springfield, Massachusetts-based company "knowingly sought to place its weapons in the hands of disturbed young men by targeting and exploiting the risk-seeking - and often troubling - desires of these consumers." (Reuters) - Survivors of a mass shooting in July that killed six people and injured dozens in a Chicago suburb sued gunmaker Smith & Wesson Brands Inc on Wednesday, accusing it of deliberately marketing its weapons to violence-prone young men through social media and advertisements reminiscent of video games. FILE PHOTO: Attendee inspect Smith and Wesson firearms at the National Rifle Association's (NRA) annual meeting, in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S., April 28, 2019.
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