Laws inhibit action and justice after mass shootings

For residents in Texas, the recent mass shooting is something they may never forget. Experiencing an event like this in their home state brings the issues associated with such incidents to a very personal level. Many people wonder how justice can be sought after a mass shooting, knowing that there is no way to bring back the people who were killed.

As explained by Time magazine, grieving family members around the country have been struggling for many years now in their efforts to seek some sort of justice or compensation after losing their loved ones in mass shootings. While many people might think it seems logical to focus legal action on the gun manufacturers, that is essentially not an option at this time. In 2005, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act was passed by Congress.

The PLCAA was designed to prevent gun makers from any liability in the event that their products were associated with crimes or malicious activities, including mass shootings. On multiple occasions, some lawmakers have tried to repeal this act but all efforts have been unsuccessful thus far. Hence, lawsuits to date have been directed at a variety of entities including law enforcement officers, municipalities, family members of shooters, social media giants, and the businesses at which shootings occur.

BuzzFeed reports that these efforts are not always fruitful, either. Some lawsuits aimed at tech companies after the deadly attack at a nightclub in Florida have been lost. Even appeals were recently denied by judges in these cases.

 

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