BUFFALO, N.Y. — On Tuesday, the City of Buffalo filed a historic lawsuit against firearm industry members, attacking them for their role in the gun violence crisis in the city.
The lawsuit was filed against gun manufacturers and distributors around 9 a.m. on Tuesday in State Supreme Court in the City of Buffalo.
"Gun industry members have been fueling gun violence in Buffalo, and continue to do so every day," Mayor Byron Brown said.
The lawsuit is the first of its kind. It was announced at a press conference featuring the mayor, Napoli Shkolnik attorneys Salvatore C. Badala and Shayna Sacks, as well as Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia.
"The horrific and deadly shooting at Tops on May 14 is sadly just one of many shootings that have taken place in our city. We have suffered too much and for too long from gun violence, and as a community we must do all that we can to decrease gun violence," Brown said.
Corporation Counsel Cavette Chambers said that the press conference that the lawsuit is to remember the victims of the 5/14 shooting and emphasized that the goal of the lawsuit is not to prosecute the legal possession of guns.
Gramaglia mentioned at the press conference that gun violence takes up significant resources in the police force.
At the press conference, multiple officials mentioned how the city is attempting to take preventative measures to prevent gun violence, Gramaglia spoke to the details of those and stated this is just another step to be more proactive and preventative.
Read the full lawsuit below.