Sixteen people who witnessed a mass shooting last year at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York are suing a slew of social media companies and gun-related companies over the emotional trauma they caused, according to NBC News.
Reportedly, the complaint was filed Tuesday by the nonprofit group Everytown for Gun Safety. A copy shared with NBC names online social platforms YouTube and Reddit and three retailers; Mean Arms, Vintage Firearms and RMA Armament, where shooter Payton Gendron obtained his firearm equipment and body armor.
Reportedly, YouTube and Reddit are included in the “rare” lawsuit as that is “where the shooter was allegedly radicalized,” NBC News noted:
The 16 plaintiffs, most of whom worked at Tops, as well as some customers, survived the racist attack but had to endure moments of terror that left lasting effects, such as nightmares, trouble sleeping, anxiety and paranoia, the lawsuit alleges. Some, according to the lawsuit, have even been unable to return to work at Tops or other jobs.
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The plaintiffs’ ordeals included hearing gunshots and running haphazardly trying to find hiding places and dropping to the ground as bullets whizzed, according to the suit. Unclear exactly where the gunfire was coming from, many just prayed they would see their loved ones again.
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“The death, terror and other harm suffered by plaintiffs was made possible by the companies and individuals who facilitated and equipped the shooter for his racist attack. As a result of their negligent and unlawful actions, the shooter gained the racist motivation, tools and knowledge necessary for him to commit the mass shooting at Tops,” the lawsuit alleges.
After the lawsuit was announced, a spokesperson for YouTube shared a statement.
“We have the deepest sympathies for the victims and families of the horrific attack at Tops grocery store in Buffalo last year. Through the years, YouTube has invested in technology, teams, and policies to identify and remove extremist content. We regularly work with law enforcement, other platforms, and civil society to share intelligence and best practices,” the spokesperson said.
According to Reuters, plaintiff DennisJanee Brown “feels uneasy at work in the presence of white people” after the shooting. Another plaintiff, Rose Marie Wysocki "said she has felt ‘enormous guilt and anger,’ feeling as though she survived because she was white." As Matt covered, Gendron killed 10 people at the Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, and targeted the area due to its high concentration of black Americans.
Reuters’ report noted that the defendants face other civil litigation over the attack that occurred May 14, 2022.