Parents of one of the victims involved in the 2012 Colorado theater shooting sued the ammunition company that provided the shooter with their ammo, but because of special protections, the lawsuit backfired and now they owe more than $200,000 to the ammunition dealer, according to the Huffington Post.
Lonnie and Sandy Phillips sought "injunctive relief" against Lucky Gunner, the online weapons dealer that supplied the Colorado theater shooter with ammo. They believe that the company was negligent in providing ammo to James Holmes, an individual that should have been considered dangerous, according to the Inquisitr.
They believe that their daughter, Jessica Ghawi, and the other victims might have been saved if the company was held to higher standards.
But the company is protected by Colorado and federal law.
The judge dismissed the case due to the Federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which prevents arms and ammunition sellers from being persecuted when their products are used by others in criminal activity, according to the Independent Journal.
Also, Colorado's HB 000-208 law states that if a lawsuit is filed against an ammunition dealer then dismissed, the accuser must pay for the defendants legal fees.
Now, the family that tragically lost their daughter faces a $203,000 bill to pay for the Lucky Gunner's legal fees.
"We brought our lawsuit because we thought it was outrageous that companies could sell a dangerous man an arsenal without getting any information about him, and without making any effort to see if he was a dangerous killer," wrote the couple to the Huffington Post. "...We thought it was important to take a stand, to fight to prevent other families from suffering as we have. We did not seek any money in our case. We just wanted injunctive relief - to have these companies act reasonably when they sold dangerous materiel, like 100-round ammunition magazines, ammunition, body armor and tear gas."
The couple is continuing their fight in hopes of legislation change that will hold company's more accountable when they sell dangerous weapons and ammo.
