Attorney General William Tong announced the formation of a coalition involving 16 attorneys general to address gun violence by holding members of the firearms industry accountable through civil enforcement of state laws. This initiative, described as the first of its kind, seeks to curb gun violence using state civil liability and consumer protection laws.
“Connecticut has some of the strongest gun violence prevention laws in the nation and our state and local police are an effective and aggressive force in keeping our communities safe," said Attorney General Tong. "Today, we are launching a groundbreaking multistate campaign to step up our enforcement and harness the power of our civil statutes to hold bad actors in the firearms industry accountable for dangerous misconduct.”
New Jersey Attorney General Platkin, leading this coalition, emphasized that their efforts aim not at restricting lawful gun ownership but at protecting communities from irresponsible business practices. “This is about protecting our communities from irresponsible business practices that contribute to unsafe gun proliferation,” he stated.
The coalition's first action involved lawsuits filed by New Jersey Attorney General Platkin and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison against Glock for alleged violations of state laws. The suits claim that Glock handguns can be modified into illegal machine guns with a simple add-on component known as a “Glock switch.”
The participating states share a common goal: holding firearms industry members accountable when their practices lead to unlawful sales or gun trafficking. Several states have already taken actions under their respective laws:
- Connecticut sued four out-of-state firearm dealers for violating its ban on ghost guns, resulting in settlements totaling $885,000.
- New Jersey pursued legal action against various entities for improper sales practices and failure to comply with storage regulations.
- Maryland and the District of Columbia targeted federally licensed dealers for illegal sales.
- Delaware investigated Cabela’s over shoplifting incidents involving ammunition.
- Washington reached a $3 million settlement over unlawful magazine sales.
- California imposed penalties on ghost gun kit manufacturers.
The Joyce Foundation reported earlier this year that gun violence leads to over $500 billion in economic losses annually across the United States.