Relatives of Tops Grocery Store Mass Shooting Victims File Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Social Media Companies, Weapon Manufacturers, and Gun Retailers

Relatives of the victims of the mass shooting at a Tops grocery store in Buffalo, New York, in 2022 have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against social media companies, weapon manufacturers, and gun retailers. The shooter, a white man, was radicalized on the internet and fueled by racist conspiracy theories.

At a news conference announcing the 171-page lawsuit on Wednesday, civil rights attorney Ben Crump said that the social media companies “knew or should have known that these algorithms will lead people to act in racist, violent manners,” but “they all looked the other way.”

The lawsuit names several online platforms, including Meta, Instagram, Amazon, Google, and Discord, as well as the maker of the body armor the shooter wore and the firearms retailers that sold him weapons.

“They were the conspirators, even if they don’t want to admit it,” Crump said.

The lawsuit seeks damages for the 10 people killed in the attack, as well as for the survivors and the victims’ families. It also seeks to hold the defendants accountable for their role in the attack and to prevent similar attacks in the future.

The lawsuit is the latest in a series of civil actions taken against social media companies and other entities in the wake of mass shootings. It is a reminder of the need for increased regulation of online platforms and the need to address the proliferation of hate speech and conspiracy theories.