New York Attorney General Letitia James announced her office reached a $1.75 million settlement for the families of the victims of the May 14, 2022 mass shooting with gun accessory manufacturer MEAN Arms.
"Today, we are holding MEAN Arms responsible," James said.
Speaking Wednesday afternoon at the Frank E. Merriweather Library, James also said MEAN Arms must stop selling the MA Lock product in New York — the product that prevents high-capacity magazines from being attached to AR 15-style firearms but the product that, James argued, MEAN made clear could be removed.
James said packaging included "step-by-step instructions" on how to remove it from the firearm as well as posted videos online on how to remove it.
"That's just what the shooter did," James said. "He was able to fire quickly, killing 10 innocent souls, injuring three others, and causing trauma and pain to many more."
The settlement symbolizes not only justice, but accountability, according to attorney Kristen Elmore-Garcia.
"I think this will send a message to other arms companies that the carrying out of Justice will ultimately work out in favor of those who have been harmed by their actions, by their choices, their decision making, their marketing," she said.
Some of the victims and individuals who were directly impacted by the shooting were present at James' conference.
Quinnae Thompson said was in the parking lot of Tops having a conversation with one of the victims, security guard Aaron Salter, Jr., just moments before the shooting occurred.
She said that while she was pleased that some justice had been delivered with the Attorney General’s settlement, she also felt that there are other parties that bear responsibility for the tragic event.
“The social media, YouTube and the platforms that he used to show everything and talk about what he was about to do at the time that he was doing it, they all should be accountable," Thompson told BTPM NPR.
