D.C. Sues Gun Industry
The Associated Press
Thursday, Jan. 20, 2000; 5:32 p.m. EST

WASHINGTON AP) ? The nation’s capital has joined other major cities in suing the gun industry.

Mayor Anthony Williams said Thursday the District of Columbia is looking for financial compensation for costs related to gunshot injuries.

“This gun lawsuit will protect our citizens and our children from the dangers of gun violence by demanding that gun manufacturers change their practices and by financially punishing them for past negligence,” Williams said.

The district will seek to recover damages for such governmental health care expenditures attributed to gunshot injuries as Medicaid expenses, unreimbursed costs of services provided by district facilities and health care costs for injured police officers.

The suit named 23 gun makers and two gun distributors.

The district is the 30th jurisdiction to sue gun makers.

The Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, part of the legal team representing the city, said the suits are aimed at leading the gun industry to look at the impact of its business practices on public safety.

But Rep. Bob Barr, R-Ga., promised congressional action to block the suit. He accused district officials of “squandering its time and our tax dollars.”

And Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, said Williams had announced “the most cowardly of solutions to gun crime: sue the firearm manufacturers. What they are not announcing is that gun criminals have a thousand to one advantage over their innocent victims here.”

? Copyright 2000 The Associated Press