Philadelphia sues gun manufacturer for alleged role in gun violence crisis

Source: WCAU-TV Philadelphia, PA

Published 3 hours ago • Updated 3 hours ago


Philadelphia is suing a gun manufacturer for its alleged role in the city's gun violence crisis. The lawsuit, announced on Friday, March 13, claims that GLOCK, Inc., one of the largest distributors of semi-automatic firearms in the country, has used deceptive marketing practices and has significantly contributed to the gun violence epidemic in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania by promoting the use of switches.

Switches, also known as “auto sears,” are small, illegal machine gun conversion devices that can be made out of plastic or metal, city officials said. After installation, a switch allows a firearm to fire continuously with a single trigger pull. These switches can convert GLOCK semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic machine guns. In the lawsuit, the city alleges the company is aware that machine guns are dangerous and illegal. Despite this knowledge, the company has not warned consumers that using switches is against the law and can have deadly consequences, according to the lawsuit.

“Every single day, Philadelphians are killed and maimed by gun violence. My administration is committed to taking action to tackle this ongoing crisis, and I’m proud of this lawsuit which aims to stop machine guns from being advertised and brought into our communities where they are used to cause mass destruction,” Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said in a news release. “GLOCK has prioritized profit over the safety of its users and the general public, and it’s time for them to be held accountable under the law for the damage the products they advertise do to human lives.”  

The lawsuit seeks civil penalties and a court order prohibiting GLOCK, Inc. from engaging in its alleged predatory and misleading marketing practices.

Read more: https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/philadelphia-lawsuit-gun-manufacturer-glock-inc-gun-violence-crisis/4368009/