Uvalde school shooting: Families of victims sue Instagram and Call of Duty game maker

Two years after the Uvalde school shooting, multiple state lawsuits were filed by the families of the victims in California and Texas in which they sued social media giant Meta andActivision, who are the makers of the popular video game"Call of Duty".

The families also sued Daniel Defense, who is the manufacturer of the AR-15whichwas used by the teen gunman in the shooting.In the lawsuits, the families claimed that these companies played a role in promoting the gunwhichwas usedto kill students.

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As per the lawsuit, the companies partnered to market the weapon to underage boys. Salvador Ramos, 18,had purchased the DDM4V7 rifle weeks before using it to kill 19 students and two teachers and injuring 17 others.

He had purchased the weapon months after he started playing a version of the game and also posted different things about weapons on Instagram, said attorneyJosh Koskoff, who was representing the families.

Also Read:City of Uvalde to pay $2 million to families of school shooting victims

The lawsuitswere filedtwo days after the same group,whichcomprised 19 families, finalised a $2 million settlementwith the city of Uvalde.

Among the two lawsuits,one was filedin Los Angeles County Superior Court againstbothActivision andInstagram'sparent companyMeta. The attorney filed the second lawsuit against Daniel Defense in Uvalde District Court.

"Preyingupon insecure, adolescent boys"

The lawsuits have claimed that Instagram, Activision and Daniel Defense have been"partnering…in a scheme that preys upon insecure, adolescent boys,"saidattorneys,in a press release.

They said that Meta and Activision"enabled and emboldened firearmmanufacturers'efforts to expand the market for their weapons by granting unprecedented, direct and 24/7 access to children."

In the lawsuits, they also alleged that on his 18th birthday, the gunman purchased the AR-15 because"he was targeted and cultivated online by Instagram, Activision and Daniel Defense. 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".

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"Simultaneously, on Instagram, the shooter was being courted through explicit, aggressive marketing. In addition to hundreds of images depicting and venerating the thrill of combat, Daniel Defense used Instagram toextolthe illegal, murderous use of its weapons,"said the attorneys.

Meanwhile, in astatement to the New York Times, Activision said that“we express our deepest sympathies to the families”inUvalde,but statedthat“millions of people around the world enjoy video games without turning to horrific acts.”

(With inputs from agencies)