The ATF confirmed that one of the weapons used in yesterday’s shooting in Orlando was an AR-type rifle, similar to the one used by Adam Lanza to kill 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.
Lawyer Josh Koskoff represents several of the Newtown victims' families in their lawsuit against Remington Arms, the parent company of Bushmaster Firearms, which makes the AR-15 rifle.
"It's no wonder that the weapon was chosen by yesterday’s shooter," Koskoff said. "It's been chosen by so many before him, and it will undoubtedly be chosen again in massacres after him."
Koskoff said the weapon was designed for military-style attack.
"This is a weapon that was designed for the United States military to do to enemies at war exactly what it did yesterday morning, and exactly as it did in Sandy Hook, and Aurora, and other towns across the country," he said. "It was designed to kill mass numbers of people with maximum efficiency and ease. It's really the gold standard for killing the enemy in battle, and it's become the gold standard for mass murders of innocent civilians in civilian life."
Gun companies said the lawsuit should not move forward.
Remington has argued that under a 2005 federal law, firearms makers are shielded from most lawsuits for criminal acts committed with their products.
