Families of US school shooting victims sue Meta, game developer Activision

New York: Meta and Call of Duty (CoD) game developer Activision have been sued by the families of the victims killed in a US school shooting over alleged promotion of the use of firearms to minors.

In May 2022, an 18-year-old Salvador Ramos opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killing 21.

According to the lawsuit, filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court in the US, both the companies “knowingly exposed the shooter to the weapon, conditioned him to see it as the solution to his problems, and trained him to use it.”

The families of the victims accused Meta and Activision of “grooming” young men and putting them on a path toward violence.

“Ramos played ‘Call of Duty’ obsessively, developed skill as a marksman, and obtained rewards that become available only after a substantial time investment,” alleged the lawsuit.

The lawsuit also claimed that the game features the AR-15 used in the shooting.

Apart from Meta and Activision, the families of the Uvalde victims are also suing Daniel Defense, the company that made the AR-15 used in the shooting.

In a statement given to media, Activision said that “millions of people around the world enjoy video games without turning to horrific acts.”

IANS