Gun makers lose challenge to New York legislation allowing lawsuits against business

Guns confiscated at New York City public faculties are displayed at a news conference with Mayor Eric Adams at police headquarters to speak about weapons in public colleges in New York City on Could 25, 2022 in New York City.

Spencer Platt | Getty Images

A federal judge on Wednesday threw out a lawsuit by a gaggle of gun manufacturers, distributors and retailers challenging the constitutionality of a New York law that allows the state and other people affected by gun violence to sue the business.

U.S. District Decide Mae D'Agostino in Albany rejected a request by the National Capturing Sports Foundation and gun producers, together with Smith & Wesson and Sturm, Ruger & Co, to enjoin enforcement of the statute.

The ruling came a day after a gunman killed 19 kids and two adults at a Texas elementary faculty, the most recent in a spate of mass shootings, prompting renewed calls by Democrats for harder gun laws.

The National Capturing Sports activities Foundation, a commerce group for the firearms trade, did not instantly reply to a request for comment.

Democratic former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo final July signed into law a measure that seeks to overcome legal hurdles that have largely shielded the industry from lawsuits associated to gun violence.

The law allows firearm sellers, manufacturers and distributors to be sued by the state, cities or people for making a "public nuisance" that endangers the general public's safety and well being.

The gun industry group argued the legislation wrongly imposes legal responsibility on firms working anywhere within the country that make, promote or market weapons or ammunition which are misused by criminals in New York.