Aug 2, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Families of Dayton mass shooting victims sue large-capacity magazine maker

Ivana Saric

Police officials cordon off the scene after a gunman opened fire on a crowd in Dayton, Ohio, United States on August 4, 2019. Photo: Whitney Saleski/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Survivors and families of the victims of 2019's deadly mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio, have filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the 100-round, large-capacity magazine (LCM) used by the shooter, CNN reports.

Why it matters: The suit targets the manufacturer's decision to make and market 100-round magazines for the general public "without any reasonable restrictions or conditions," Jonathan Lowy, an attorney representing the families, said Monday, per CNN.

Flashback: In August 2019, Connor Betts, 24, shot 26 people in 32 seconds, killing 9, before being killed by law enforcement officers.

The big picture: The lawsuit alleges that the manufacturer, Kyung Chang Industry USA, exercised "reckless conduct" in continuing to produce the 100-round magazine, ABC News reports.

The lawsuit accuses the company of knowingly providing "this instrument of slaughter to the general public, and sold it in a way that made it easy for the Shooter to obtain it," per ABC News.

What they're saying: "I want to make sure that the actions of all those that were responsible for that day don't go unanswered for my grandchildren," Lashandra James, whose daughter was killed in the mass shooting, said at a virtual news conference on Monday, per ABC News.

"No civilian needs a 100-round magazine. It's only useful for the military or mass shootings," Ben Cooper, the attorney representing the families of five of the nine people killed, said, per ABC News.

Add Axios on Google

Families of Dayton mass shooting victims sue large-capacity magazine maker

What to read next