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Sandy Hook Remington Class Action Settlement Overview:
- Why: The class action lawsuit alleged Remington held responsibility for the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School by targeting its products towards young, at-risk males.
- Who: Remington Arms Co. will pay $73 million in a class action settlement with Sandy Hook victims’ families.
- Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Connecticut federal court.
Gunmaker Remington has agreed to a $73 million deal that will settle a class action lawsuit lodged by family members of nine victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, marking the first time a gun manufacturer is being held responsible for a mass shooting in the United States.
The class action lawsuit alleged that Remington Arms Co. played a significant role in the mass shooting due to its marketing campaign. The complaint says the company marketed its Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle, the weapon used in the massacre, toward younger, “at-risk” males. Notably, one such Remington advertisement paired an image of the rifle with the phrase “Consider Your Man Card Reissued.” The rifle was also featured in violent video games, the complaint said.
The 20-year-old gunman in the Sandy Hook shooting used the Bushmaster XM15-E2S rifle to kill 20 children and six educators at the Newtown, Connecticut, elementary school, after killing his mother in their home. The rifle was legally owned by the gunman’s mother.
The gunman’s preoccupation with violence, access to his mother’s weapons and his severe mental health problems “proved a recipe for mass murder,” according to Connecticut’s child advocate.
Remington denies the allegations made in the class action lawsuit.
The Road to Landmark Remington Settlement
The $73 million payout will go to only the families who signed onto the lawsuit. The amount is the full amount of insurance coverage available and will be paid by Remington’s four insurers. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and its assets were sold off.
The class action complaint was first filed in 2014. Remington, along with its supporters, argued that there was no proof that its marketing led to the Sandy Hook shooting.
Further, Remington argued that the class action lawsuit should be dismissed because the company was protected by a 2005 federal law that prevented gun manufacturers from being held liable for crimes in which their guns were used.
The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that Remington could still be sued under state law over its marketing. The company appealed to the US Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case, allowing it to move forward.
In July 2020, Remington offered to settle for $33 million. The families declined, intending to first prove its wrongdoing.
What do you think of this landmark settlement? Share your thoughts below.
The plaintiffs are represented by Joshua Koskoff.
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2 thoughts onRemington to Pay $73M to Sandy Hook Victims’ Families in Landmark Settlement
I think this is absolutely a shame. This company had no responsibility whatsoever ever in this sick twisted gunman’s behavior. I gonna have to say I personally think who ever said Remington was responsible for this has got to be against the NRA, or something. There is no way to tell if a man or woman for that matter will take what they have viewed on tv or media and use that to fuel their behavior. This is just absolute absurd. I’m not cold hearted by saying this I understand the loss these families deal with and the pain but the fact that no amount of money is or will ever fill that void. But what is cold hearted is the thousands of families affected by the company being shut down for this the families that will be let to fin for themselves the families left to starve because they have no work, etc. The 401 k plans gone, the retirement of many gone because of one decision to say this company is at fault for this sick mans actions. No Remington is not at fault, just as the mother is at no fault. You can lead a horse to water and not make him drive same as you can raise a child with all the necessary means and still that child grow up to be amass murderer. This is solely on the gunman, no one else. He acted on whatever voice he heard from his most likely skitzsophrenic mentality. If you want to point fingers and accuse then possibly blame it on the doctors for not giving this man proper treatment or on the state for not putting him in a facility earlier when signs were giving to help him then why blame this on the gunmakers or the bullets used. I guess they should start holding the Alcohol Breweries responsible for the deaths that DUI offenders cause and perhaps let the offender walk just hold the company liable after all it was the alcohols fault right. That is exactly what I’m saying that last line sounded stupid and that exactly what blaming Remenigton is for this tragedy. Remington shouldnt have been faulted. This was the STUPIEST DECISION EVER RULED IN HISTORY.
I own that same model Bush master. I bought it as soon as the ban lifted. On the magazine well it is clearly marked law enforcement military use only.
Why don’t they now go after the car company because he wouldn’t have made it to that school with the rifle and the pistol that he took with him. If he wouldn’t have access to the car this would not have happened. The state probably gave him a driver’s license. I don’t guess that would matter though since he didn’t have the right to own the rifle he had stolen.
I’m not cold hearted I am glad the families are being compensated although it will never compensate for what they lost. We pay families overseas during A-war when we mess up.