Uvalde, Texas – Families of the victims of a tragic mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in 2022 have taken legal action against Meta Platforms, the parent company of Instagram, the creators of the popular video game “Call of Duty,” and Daniel Defense, the manufacturers of AR-15 assault rifles. The civil lawsuits, filed on the second anniversary of the devastating event, allege that the companies are part of an “unholy trinity” that contributes to the radicalization of alienated teenage boys into committing mass shootings, like the one carried out by 18-year-old Salvador Ramos at Robb Elementary School.
Ramos entered the school through an unlocked door on May 24, 2022, and proceeded to barricade himself in a classroom, where he took the lives of two teachers and 19 students before being fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol agent. The lawsuits claim that Ramos downloaded the video game “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” months before the shooting and then purchased a firearm featured in the game, the DDM4 V7, just days prior to the tragic event.
Additionally, the legal complaints suggest that Ramos was targeted with aggressive marketing on Instagram, which glorified combat and the use of firearms. The families of the victims seek justice and accountability from the companies involved, holding them responsible for their alleged contributions to the tragic events that unfolded at Robb Elementary School. The lawsuits come on the heels of a $2 million settlement reached between the victims’ families and the city, signaling a multifaceted approach to seeking justice and change in the aftermath of the shooting.