Court: Gunmaker Remington may be sued for Sandy Hook shooting

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Jimmy Green holds a photo of his daughter Anna Grace Marquez Green during a press conference with fellow parents on the one month anniversary of the Newtown elementary school massacre on January 14, 2013 in Newtown. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

(FOX BUSINESS) - The Connecticut Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that gunmaker Remington Outdoor Co. can be sued over the marketing of the semi-automatic rifle used in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 that left 20 children and six teachers dead.

The court was split 4-3 in deciding the case, which was brought by relatives of several of the individuals killed in the shooting. The plaintiffs argued that Remington, in selling the Bushmaster rifle, “negligently entrusted to civilian consumers an assault rifle that is suitable for use only by military and law enforcement personnel.”

At the heart of the argument was the extent of a federal law shielding firearm manufacturers from liability when illegal activity is conducted with their products. The majority decided that “Congress did not intend to immunize firearms suppliers who engage in truly unethical and irresponsible marketing.”

“It falls to a jury to decide whether the promotional schemes alleged in the present case rise to the level of illegal trade practices and whether fault for the tragedy can be laid at their feet,” the ruling reads.

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