The plaintiffs in the case are families of nine victims and one school administrator who was injured, but survived, the Hartford Courant reports. They filed a lawsuit against firearm maker Remington Arms Co., alleging that it had negligently sold a weapon to civilians that should only be used by the military or law enforcement. The gun used during the shooting was a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle, killing six teachers and 20 students.
Remington attempted to get the case dismissed by invoking the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which generally frees gun makers from liability when one of their weapons is used violently. Attorney Josh Koskoff, however, argued that “negligent entrustment” is an exception to that law.
Judge Barbara Bellis ended up ruling against dismissing the case. “At this juncture,” she wrote, “the court need not and will not consider the merits of the plaintiffs’ negligent entrustment theory.” Though Remington can use the same defense later on to question the plaintiffs’ allegations, it does not preclude the case from being heard in the first place.
“Today’s ruling in Connecticut is an important step forward for these families, who are bravely fighting to hold irresponsible gunmakers accountable for their actions,” Hillary Clinton said in a statement responding to the ruling. “They deserve their day in court. Period.”