The first action being taken by the coalition is for attorneys general from the states of New Jersey and Minnesota to file lawsuits in their respective state courts against the firearm manufacturer Glock.
Glock handguns can allegedly be configured to fire automatically, simply with the help of an inexpensive add-on, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch,” making them illegal in some U.S. states, including Minnesota and New Jersey.
Platkin contends that Glock has known about this ability for their handguns to be converted to automatic weapons for decades, but the company has refused to take action.
None of the other states are taking part in the individual state lawsuits being brought against Glock, although many of the states have taken their own actions against handgun manufacturers in recent years, Platkin points out.
The District of Columbia filed a lawsuit against ghost gun manufacturer and distributor Polymer80 in 2020, for selling unserialized, untraceable firearms to residents of Washington, DC, eventually winning a $4 million court judgment against the company.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta together with the San Francisco District Attorney also sued three manufacturers of ghost gun kits in 2021, which resulted in the companies paying $675,000 in civil penalties.
In addition, Maryland, Connecticut and Delaware have all filed lawsuits against firearm retailers and dealers in recent years.
“Together with my fellow Attorneys General, I will fight to protect our state residents from the wanton disregard for human life caused by bad actors in the firearms industry, which contribute to rising gun violence,” Platkin said. “This is not about curtailing lawful gun ownership. This is about protecting our communities from irresponsible business practices that contribute to unsafe gun proliferation, the kind that leads to mass shootings in our churches, synagogues, schools, shopping malls, concerts, and supermarkets.”
Platkin also points out that gun violence can be measured in economic costs as well as its effect on human lives. According to a Joyce Foundation report referenced in Platkin’s press release, gun violence costs the U.S. more than $500 billion in economic losses each year.