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    Representing Survivors

    Buffalo Tops Friendly Market Shooting Survivors and Family Members Sue Manufacturer of Gun Lock, Gun Store, Manufacturer of Combat-Style Body Armor, Social Media Companies, and Shooter’s Parents

    Jones v. Mean LLC, et al.; Stanfield, et al. v. Mean LLC, et al.

    8.24.2023

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      Everytown Law, along with co-counsel, filed two lawsuits seeking accountability and reform on behalf of victims of the racist mass shooting that took place at Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, New York on May 14, 2022. Plaintiffs include the family of Celestine Chaney, who was murdered in the attack, as well as more than a dozen survivors, all of whom suffered significant trauma as a result of being in the midst of the horrific mass shooting. 

      The lawsuits allege that the Shooter was able to obtain the illegal assault weapon he used for his attack as a result of the unlawful and deceptive actions of Mean Arms, the company that manufactured a gun lock that provided a fake veneer of compliance with New York gun laws, and Vintage Firearms, the gun store that sold him the illegal AR-15-style rifle. RMA Armament, the company that equipped the Shooter with combat-grade body armor without reasonable vetting, is also named as a defendant. The lawsuits also allege that social media companies YouTube and Reddit furnished the Shooter with the motivation, knowledge, and guidance he needed to carry out his attack as a result of their websites’ defective design and incendiary algorithmic recommendation systems. Finally, the lawsuits name the Shooter’s parents as defendants and allege that they had the knowledge, ability and responsibility to take action to prevent the attack from happening.

      Case Documents

      Wayne Jones v. MEAN LLC, et al.

      August 15, 2023 – Original Complaint Download
      November 9, 2023 – Defendant Vintage Firearms, LLC’s Memorandum of Law in Support of It’s Motion to Dismiss Complaint or, in the Alternative, Stay the Pending ProceedingsDownload
      November 9, 2023 – Affirmation In Support Defendant Vintage Firearms, LLC’s Motion to Dismiss Complaint or, in the Alternative, Stay the Pending ProceedingsDownload
      November 9, 2023 – Memorandum of Law on Behalf of Alphabet Inc., Google LLC, and YouTube’s Motion to DismissDownload
      November 9, 2023 – Affirmation in Support of Alphabet Inc., Google LLC, and YouTube’s Motion to DismissDownload
      November 9, 2023 – Reddit’s Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion to Dismiss Download
      November 9, 2023 – Affirmation in Support of Defendant Reddit’s Motion to DismissDownload
      November 9 , 2023 – Memorandum of Law in Support of Defendant MEAN LLC’s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs’ Complaint Pursuant to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act and C.P.L.R. §§ 3211(a)(3), 3211(a)(7) & 3211(a)(8)Download
      November 9, 2023 – Affirmation in Support of Defendant MEAN LLC’s Motion to Dismiss the Complaint Pursuant to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act and C.P.L.R. §§ 3211(a)(3), 3211(a)(7) & 3211(a)(8)Download
      December 18, 2023 – Plaintiffs’ Memorandum of Law in Opposition to Defendant’s YouTube, LLC’s and Reddit Inc’s Motions to Dismiss Download
      December 18, 2023 – Affirmation in Support of Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Defendant’s YouTube, LLC’s and Reddit Inc’s Motions to Dismiss Download
      December 18, 2023 – Plaintiffs’ Memorandum of Law in Opposition to Defendant Vintage Firearms, LLC’s Motion to Dismiss the Complaint or, in the Alternative, Stay the Pending ProceedingsDownload
      December 18, 2023 – Affirmation in Support of Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Defendant Vintage Firearms, LLC’s Motion to Dismiss the Complaint or, in the Alternative, Stay the Pending ProceedingsDownload
      December 18, 2023 – Plaintiffs’ Memorandum of Law in Opposition to Defendant MEAN LLC’s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Complaint Pursuant to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act and C.P.L.R §§ 3211(a)(3), 3211(a (7) & 3211 (a)(8)Download
      December 18, 2023 – Affirmation in Support of Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Defendant MEAN LLC’s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Complaint Pursuant to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act and C.P.L.R §§ 3211(a)(3), 3211(a (7) & 3211 (a)(8)Download
      February 22, 2024 – Decision and Order Denying Motion to Dismiss by Defendant MEAN LLCDownload
      March 7, 2024 – Decision and Order Denying Motion to Dismiss by Defendant Vintage FirearmsDownload
      March 19, 2024 – Decision and Order Denying Motion to Dismiss by Defendants Alphabet Inc., Google, LLC, YouTube, LLC and Reddit, Inc. Download

      Fragrance Harris Stanfield, et al. v. MEAN LLC, et al.

      September 14, 2023 Amended ComplaintDownload
      November 9, 2023 – Memorandum of Law on Behalf of Alphabet Inc., Google LLC, and YouTube’s Motion to Dismiss Download
      November 9, 2023 – Affirmation in Support of Alphabet Inc., Google LLC, and YouTube’s Motion to DismissDownload
      November 9, 2023 – Defendant Vintage Firearms, LLC’s Memorandum of Law in Support of It’s Motion to Dismiss Complaint or in the Alternative Stay the Pending Proceedings Download
      November 9, 2023 – Affirmation In Support Defendant Vintage Firearms, LLC’s Motion to Dismiss Complaint or in the Alternative Stay the Pending Proceedings Download
      November 9, 2023 – Reddit’s Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion to Dismiss Download
      November 9, 2023 – Affirmation in Support of Defendant Reddit’s Motion to Dismiss Download
      November 9 , 2023 – Memorandum of Law in Support of Defendant MEAN LLC’s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs’ Complaint Pursuant to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act and C.P.L.R. §§ 3211(a)(3), 3211(a)(7) & 3211(a)(8)MOL-MEAN-LLCDownload
      November 9, 2023 – Affirmation in Support of Defendant MEAN LLC’s Motion to Dismiss the Complaint Pursuant to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act and C.P.L.R. §§ 3211(a)(3), 3211(a)(7) & 3211(a)(8)Download
      December 18, 2023 – Plaintiffs’ Memorandum of Law in Opposition to Defendant’s YouTube, LLC’s and Reddit Inc’s Motions to Dismiss Download
      December 18, 2023 – Affirmation in Support of Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Defendant’s YouTube, LLC’s and Reddit Inc’s Motions to Dismiss Download
      December 18, 2023 – Plaintiffs’ Memorandum of Law in Opposition to Defendant Vintage Firearms, LLC’s Motion to Dismiss the Complaint or, in the Alternative, Stay the Pending ProceedingsDownload
      December 18, 2023 – Affirmation in Support of Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Defendant Vintage Firearms, LLC’s Motion to Dismiss the Complaint or, in the Alternative, Stay the Pending ProceedingsDownload
      December 18, 2023 – Plaintiffs’ Memorandum of Law in Opposition to Defendant MEAN LLC’s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Complaint Pursuant to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act and C.P.L.R §§ 3211(a)(3), 3211(a (7) & 3211 (a)(8)Download
      December 18, 2023 – Affirmation in Support of Plaintiffs’ Opposition to Defendant MEAN LLC’s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Complaint Pursuant to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act and C.P.L.R §§ 3211(a)(3), 3211(a (7) & 3211 (a)(8)Download
      February 23, 2024 – Decision and Order Denying Motion to Dismiss by Defendant MEAN LLCDownload
      March 7, 2024 – Decision and Order Denying Motion to Dismiss by Defendant Vintage FirearmsDownload
      March 19, 2024 – Decision and Order Denying Motion to Dismiss by Defendants Alphabet Inc., Google, LLC, YouTube, LLC and Reddit, Inc. Download

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      Did you know?

      30 percent of guns recovered by ATF in California have no serial number on them, making it impossible for law enforcement to trace.

      Stephens A. “Ghost Guns Are Everywhere in California”. The Trace. (2019). https://bit.ly/2DKkIlt