The parents of a teenage victim in a shooting attack at Oxford High School in Michigan sued the seller of the handgun that was used to kill four and injure six others.
Acme Shooting Goods LLC was accused of negligently or illegally providing the gun through straw sales in the complaint filed Tuesday at Detroit's federal court.
According to authorities, James Crumbley purchased the 9 mm semiautomatic handgun used during the November 30 shooting as an early Christmas present for his 15-year-old son, Ethan.
According to the lawsuit, Ethan was with his father Acme Shooting Goods for several days prior to the shooting. He "engaged or made one or two statements while in the store which further indicated the Acme gun had been intended for" Ethan.
According to the lawsuit, Acme Shooting Goods was required to supervise and train employees in order to prevent "straw purchases".
A straw purchase is when someone buys a gun to give or sell to someone who is prohibited from owning one.
A Wednesday lawsuit was filed by an employee of the Oxford gun shop. The employee declined to comment.
Gunshot wounds to his hand and face were sustained by the son of the Muellers. The shooting at the school was about 30 miles north from Detroit, left one teacher and six students wounded.
Ethan Crumbley, now 16 years old, has been charged with adult murder and terroristic acts and will be tried in January. James Crumbley, his wife Jennifer, and their son were accused of giving their son access to the gun. They are currently awaiting trial for voluntary manslaughter.
Muellers' lawsuit states that gun dealers must comply with all applicable state and federal firearm laws when they are in the business of selling guns.
Following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012, which resulted in 26 deaths, Remington filed a lawsuit against Connecticut. Nancy Lanza purchased the assault-style rifle that Adam Lanza used in the shooting.
Remington's lawsuit against Remington was dismissed in 2016 after the shop was dropped from the suit. A federal law protects gun manufacturers from liability in most cases, the judge stated. On the question of Remington's marketing practices, the Connecticut Supreme Court reinstated Remington's lawsuit against Remington. Remington and Sandy Hook families reached a settlement worth $73 million in February.
Remington, one the nation's oldest gun manufacturers, was founded in 1816. It filed for bankruptcy in 2020. The assets of Remington were later sold to several companies. Following the school shooting, Remington was hit with lawsuits and restrictions on retail sales.
The lawsuit by the Muellers does not contain a dollar amount for damages. The lawsuit also names the former superintendent of Oxford Community School District and other officials.
Another multimillion-dollar lawsuit was filed following the shooting, claiming that the violence could have been prevented.
After a teacher discovered a drawing of a gun and a bullet, and an image of someone who looked like he had been shot, school officials met Ethan Crumbley's parents and discussed the matter with them.
Ethan was permitted to stay at school after the Crumbleys refused to take him home. The gun was found in Ethan's backpack. It was not searched.
Matthew and Mary Mueller released a statement saying that they are bringing the suit to stop the "failures" at their school and in the sale of the gun. "This pain should not be felt by any family or community, and children shouldn't have to suffer it for their entire lives."
