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More relatives of Colorado shooting victims sue Fairfield, CT based gun-maker

FILE - Tributes hang on the temporary fence surrounding the parking lot in front of a King Soopers grocery store in which 10 people died in a late March 2021 mass shooting, April 9, 2021, in Boulder, Colo. The son of one of 10 people killed at the Colorado supermarket in 2021 filed a lawsuit Tuesday, March 14, 2023, against gun maker Sturm, Ruger & Co. over how it marketed the firearm used in the massacre — following a litigation road map set by families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
David Zalubowski/AP
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AP
FILE - Tributes hang on the temporary fence surrounding the parking lot in front of a King Soopers grocery store in which 10 people died in a late March 2021 mass shooting, April 9, 2021, in Boulder, Colo. The son of one of 10 people killed at the Colorado supermarket in 2021 filed a lawsuit Tuesday, March 14, 2023, against gun maker Sturm, Ruger & Co. over how it marketed the firearm used in the massacre — following a litigation road map set by families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — More relatives of people shot to death at a Colorado supermarket in 2021 are suing gun-maker Sturm, Ruger & Co. over how it marketed the firearm used in the massacre, adding to litigation first filed earlier this month against the company.

The lawsuit by relatives of five of the 10 people killed in Boulder was served on the company Thursday and is expected to be filed this week in Superior Court in Stamford, Connecticut, according to Andrew Garza, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. The son of a sixth victim sued the company on March 14.

Both lawsuits accuse Sturm, Ruger & Co. of marketing its AR-556 pistol, which resembles a rifle, in a “reckless” and “immoral” way that promoted its killing capability and glorified lone gunmen. The lawsuits, which seek undisclosed damages, are expected to be consolidated into one case, Garza said.

“We're interested in pursuing justice for all the families and holding Ruger accountable,” Garza said Monday.

Representatives of Sturm, Ruger & Co., based in Fairfield, Connecticut, did not immediately respond to email and phone messages Monday.

The wrongful death lawsuits are similar to one filed against gun-maker Remington by relatives of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that killed 20 children and six educators. That lawsuit led to a $73 million settlement with Remington last year.

Gun makers are generally shielded from liability under a 2005 federal law, but an exception allows lawsuits over firearms marketing.

The gunman in the March 22, 2021, shooting at the King Soopers store in Boulder legally bought the Ruger AR-556, investigators said.

The six victims whose relatives are suing Sturm, Ruger & Co. were Suzanne Fountain, Neven Stanisic, Denny Stong, Lynn Murray, Jody Waters and Kevin Mahoney.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

Connecticut Public’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.