New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference at the office of the Attorney General on July 13, 2022 in New York City. NY AG James announced today that her office has reached a settlement of $500,000 for more than a dozen current and former employees of the Sweet and Vicious, a bar in Manhattan, after a 16-month investigation into allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination and wage theft at the establishment.
The state of New York has filed an action against a gun component manufacturer for allegedly facilitating the unlawful ownership of assault weaponry in the state by selling a removable ammo lock. One of these weapons reportedly includes the one used in the shooting at a Buffalo grocery store last year.
What's illegal in New York?
According to CNN, assault weapons and magazines that can contain more than 10 rounds of ammunition are illegal in the state of New York. Meanwhile, the Georgia-based firm Mean LLC, often known as Mean Arms, manufactures and distributes a magazine lock mechanism called MA Lock.
The complaint filed by the attorney general's office claims that Mean Arms includes removal instructions for the lock on the product's package. It alleges that if the lock were broken, a criminal might swap out the magazine with one that stores more bullets, rendering the weapon unlawful in that state.
The lawsuit states that "Mean Arms is deceptively and falsely advertising to purchasers within New York, including via its website, YouTube, and third-party sellers, that installing an MA Lock on a semiautomatic rifle, that otherwise may be an illegal assault weapon under New York law, makes the weapon legal."
2022 Buffalo Shooting
The MA Lock was lawfully purchased to place on the semiautomatic rifle used in the May 2022 shooting at Tops grocery store in Buffalo, New York.
The attacker simply removed it using a power drill, according to the office of the state's attorney general. He switched out the 10-round magazine for a larger capacity one and proceeded to murder 10 Black shoppers and injure others in a racist mass shooting.
"Using basic tools in his family's home and following easily available instructions, within a matter of minutes, the Buffalo shooter simply removed the MA Lock from the rifle," the lawsuit claims.
In a statement, New York Attorney General Letitia James expressed her outrage that the shooter was able to modify his weapon to make it more lethal "through a simple change at home."
James said that the day of the racist mass shooting at the Tops grocery store in Buffalo was one of the most tragic events in the history of New York and the US. "We cannot undo the devastating harm that was done, but this lawsuit against Mean Arms is part of our ongoing effort to pursue justice for the ten innocent lives that were unjustly taken," she added.
New York's attorney general's office is demanding that Mean Arms cease selling MA Locks in the state, make amends by publishing clarification statements, and cover the costs of any damages or reparations awarded.