On the second anniversary of the massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, the families of the victims sued Meta and the video game maker Activision Blizzard. In court on Friday in California, they claimed that both companies helped train and arm the 18-year-old shooter who killed 19 children and two teachers in 2022.
The complainants claim that Salvador Ramos frequently played a one person shooter game created by Activision Blizzard. They also claim that one of the versions of Call of Duty that the shooter downloaded even had the rifle he later chose to use in the shooting.
They stated that Meta helped Ramos become radicalized by not controlling the content shown to the then-minor on Instagram. The shooting occurred shortly after he turned 18, but, according to the lawsuit, the social network had been showing him inappropriate content for some time.
Additionally, the two helped connect the shooter with the manufacturer of the DDM4 V7 gun he used in the shooting. Instagram allowed the manufacturer, Daniel Defense, to promote its products on the platform, and Call of Duty allowed Ramos to simulate the use of the rifle.
Daniel Defense was also sued on Friday, although in Texas, for allegedly taking advantage of both social media and Call of Duty to find new clients and for offering weapons to minors.
"There is a direct line between the conduct of these companies and the Uvalde shooting," said Josh Koskoff, one of the families' attorneys, in a statement reported by the AP. "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."
"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," an Activision spokesperson responded in a statement reported by CNN. However, he claimed, "millions of people around the world enjoy video games without turning to horrific acts."
Other lawsuits
Two days earlier, the families of the 19 shooting victims sued the Texas State Police for their response to the attack.
That lawsuit seeks to hold responsible the 92 officials and members of the Uvalde Police Department, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety who responded to the call for help and who waited up to 77 minutes to stop the gunman.
That same day, the families also announced that they had reached an agreement with the city of Uvalde in which they will receive $2 million and work together to improve local security forces.
