Current:Home > ContactThree gun dealers sued by New Jersey attorney general, who says they violated state law -AssetBase
Three gun dealers sued by New Jersey attorney general, who says they violated state law
View
Date:2025-04-12 21:03:42
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey’s attorney general sued three firearms dealers Tuesday, alleging one illegally stored firearms that were visible from outside a store and that the two others tried to sell “ghost guns.” The suits mark the first complaints filed under a 2022 law passed last year.
Attorney General Matt Platkin said he filed the lawsuits in state court to send a message to firearms dealers that run afoul of state law.
“We’re going to hold these folks accountable, but they won’t be the last,” Platkin said during a news conference held with state firearms enforcement director Ravi Ramanathan. “I think others in the industry should take notice that if you’re violating our laws, we’re going to come for you. We’re going to hold you accountable, too.”
The suits seek unspecified monetary and punitive damages as well as an injunction against the companies: FSS Armory, of Pine Brook, New Jersey; gun show operator Eagle Shows of western Pennsylvania; and gun vendor JSD Supply, also of western Pennsylvania. The Associated Press left email messages seeking comment with the companies.
One of the suits alleges that FSS Armory stored stacks of guns near a window on the ground floor of its shop, an arrangement that was visible online. In January, a group of people traveled to the store, broke the window and made off with more than 20 weapons, including pistols, shotguns, rifles and a revolver, Platkin said. Most of the stolen guns haven’t been recovered, and those that have been were found at crime scenes or on the black market, he said.
State law requires firearms to be secured and not kept in any window or area visible from outside.
The other suit, against Eagle Shows and JSD Supply, alleges the companies aimed to sell so-called ghost guns, which are illegal in the state, to New Jersey residents. Ghost guns are weapons without serial numbers that cannot be traced.
JSD Supply sold ghost gun products at Eagle Shows across the New Jersey-Pennsylvania border, while Eagle Shows continues to directly advertise their shows in New Jersey, according to the suit. It’s unclear how many such guns were sold to New Jersey residents, but state police have arrested numerous residents returning from out-of-state Eagle Shows with illegal products, Platkin said.
The lawsuits were the first brought by the state under a bill Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed in July 2022 aimed at holding gun dealers accountable in civil court. Asked why he didn’t bring criminal complaints against the companies, Platkin would only say that civil cases also play a role in upholding the law.
New Jersey isn’t the only state going after gun dealers in civil court.
In October 2022, Minnesota filed suit against a gun retailer, alleging it sold firearms to straw purchasers that ended up being used in a fatal shooting. Earlier this year, Kansas City settled with a dealer it alleged ignored evidence that guns were being sold illegally.
veryGood! (57221)
Related
- Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
- Margot Robbie, Matt Damon and More Stars Speak Out as SAG-AFTRA Goes on Strike
- Coal Ash Along the Shores of the Great Lakes Threatens Water Quality as Residents Rally for Change
- Lady Gaga once said she was going to quit music, but Tony Bennett saved her life
- Krispy Kreme offers a free dozen Grinch green doughnuts: When to get the deal
- Republicans Propose Nationwide Offshore Wind Ban, Citing Unsubstantiated Links to Whale Deaths
- Trader Joe's cookies recalled because they may contain rocks
- Coal Ash Along the Shores of the Great Lakes Threatens Water Quality as Residents Rally for Change
- Bill Belichick's salary at North Carolina: School releases football coach's contract details
- Study Documents a Halt to Deforestation in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest After Indigenous Communities Gain Title to Their Territories
Ranking
- What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
- Twice as Much Land in Developing Nations Will be Swamped by Rising Seas than Previously Projected, New Research Shows
- A Rare Plant Got Endangered Species Protection This Week, but Already Faces Threats to Its Habitat
- Micellar Water You’ll Dump Makeup Remover Wipes For From Bioderma, Garnier & More
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Star player Zhang Shuai quits tennis match after her opponent rubs out ball mark in disputed call
- Tony Bennett remembered by stars, fans and the organizations he helped
- Do Solar Farms Lower Property Values? A New Study Has Some Answers
Recommendation
Meet first time Grammy nominee Charley Crockett
Q&A: California Drilling Setback Law Suspended by Oil Industry Ballot Maneuver. The Law’s Author Won’t Back Down
‘Green Hydrogen’ Would Squander Renewable Energy Resources in Massachusetts
Margot Robbie Just Put a Red-Hot Twist on Her Barbie Style
Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
A ‘Rights of Nature’ Fact-Finding Panel to Investigate Mexico’s Tren Maya Railroad for Possible Environmental Violations
Khloe Kardashian Defends Blac Chyna From Twisted Narrative About Co-Parenting Dream Kardashian
Kelly Ripa & Mark Consuelos' Son Michael Now Has a Role With Real Housewives