Uvalde, Texas: Families of victims from the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, are suing Meta and Activision Blizzard, the publisher of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, for allegedly promoting guns to children. The lawsuit claims that Activision is creating a “training camp for mass shooters,” while Meta and Instagram are described as “the firearm industry’s best advertiser.” The complaint, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, was spearheaded by attorney Katherine Mesner-Hage.
The legal action also targets Daniel Defense, the manufacturer of the AR-15 style rifle used by 17-year-old Salvador Ramos in the shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 24, 2022. Ramos used a DDM4v7 rifle, which had been promoted in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and on Instagram by Daniel Defense. Ramos purchased the rifle minutes after his 18th birthday, just eight days before the shooting that resulted in the deaths of 21 people and injuries to 17 others.
According to Mesner-Hage, Ramos was an obsessive Call of Duty player who developed significant skills as a marksman through hours of gameplay. The lawsuit argues that Ramos was exposed to the DDM4v7 rifle both through the game and Instagram, which influenced his decision to purchase it.
The complaint also highlights that Ramos searched for other accessories inspired by video games, such as a Red Dot Sight, a smoke grenade, an AR-15 weapon skin, and an EOTech holographic battle sight. Additionally, it references a chilling detail from the attack, where Ramos allegedly mimicked a line from Call of Duty character Captain Price before killing a teacher.
Attorney Josh Koskoff emphasized the alleged connection between the actions of the companies and the shooting. He argued that Ramos was targeted and groomed online by Instagram, Activision, and Daniel Defense, which influenced his actions and decision to use the weapon as a problem-solving tool.
In response, an Activision spokesperson told Polygon that there is no causal link between video games and violence, citing academic and scientific research. “The Uvalde shooting was horrendous and heartbreaking in every way, and we express our deepest sympathies to the families and communities who remain impacted by this senseless act of violence,” the spokesperson said.
However, the Uvalde victims’ lawyers argue that the realism of Call of Duty’s weapons serves as a marketing tool for gun manufacturers. They cited other mass shootings allegedly linked to Call of Duty, including a shooting at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas. Following that incident, Walmart removed signage referencing violent video games but continued selling firearms.
Research, such as that conducted by the Stanford Brainstorm Lab, has not found a causal link between playing video games and gun violence. While some studies indicate a link to “aggression,” this term covers a broad spectrum of actions and does not equate to a direct causation of violence. Despite this, video game communities have been associated with right-wing extremism in the U.S.
Video games have historically licensed weapon likenesses for use in their games. For example, Electronic Arts ceased this practice in 2013 but continued to use similar types of guns without brand names. Ralph Vaughn of Barrett Firearms Manufacturing acknowledged in 2013 that while it is challenging to quantify the impact of video games on rifle sales, the exposure to a young audience could potentially influence future gun ownership.
The lawsuit underscores the ongoing debate about the influence of video games and social media on youth and gun violence, as the families of Uvalde victims seek accountability for the tragic events that transpired.
