Buffalo Settlement Sends Shockwaves Through Gun Industry

Nearly four years after the horrific May 14, 2022 massacre at a Tops Friendly Markets on Jefferson Avenue, a new legal chapter just closed. And it could have serious implications for the firearms industry.

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced partial settlements involving magazine-lock manufacturer MEAN LLC, gun dealer Vintage Firearms LLC, and the shooter’s parents. The coordinated resolution includes a $1.75 million payment from MEAN LLC to families and survivors.

As part of the agreement, the company will stop selling its MA Lock device in New York and remove marketing claims suggesting the product made rifles compliant with state law.

According to the Attorney General, the shooter purchased an AR-15-style rifle equipped with the MA Lock, removed it, and installed detachable 30-round magazines in violation of New York’s SAFE Act. Plaintiffs argued that the device was easily removable and that instructions for removal were publicly available.

Everytown Law, which represented several victims and survivors, framed the settlement as a warning shot to the broader gun industry. Executive Director Eric Tirschwell said the agreement should signal that “gun safety laws… are not inconveniences to be circumvented for profit.”

Vintage Firearms has permanently closed. Its former owner agreed not to seek another federal firearms license. The settlement with the shooter’s parents includes financial compensation, though terms were not publicly disclosed.

Here’s where it gets complicated for the industry: A New York appellate court previously ruled that claims against MEAN LLC could proceed despite federal protections under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). That decision opened the door to this settlement and potentially others.

Notably, lawsuits remain pending against RMA Armament (body armor manufacturer) and social media companies including YouTube and Reddit. The New York Court of Appeals will soon consider whether those claims can move forward.

No amount of money changes what happened in Buffalo. But this settlement raises serious questions about how far liability can stretch when third-party criminal acts are involved and whether accessory makers and retailers now face a new legal frontier.

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