The father of ten-year-old Amerie Jo Garza, one of the 19 children killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting, is demanding the gun manufacturer of the AR-15 used in the shooting hand over any communications they had with the Uvalde shooter who purchased and used their firearm.
The father, Alfred Garza III, is also seeking any information from the company about its marketing, especially to teenagers and children. He is backed by two high-profile trial lawyers from Texas, Mikal Watts and Charla Aldous, as well as Josh Koskoff, a Connecticut lawyer who won a landmark settlement for Sandy Hook families against Remington, the gunmaker they argued had illegally marketed the firearm used by the shooter.
The attorneys representing the Uvalde father penned a letter to Daniel Defense, the gunmaker of the AR-15 and a company that has become notorious for its aggressive marketing to children and teenagers.
“My purpose for being now is to honor Amerie Jo’s memory,” Garza said in a statement. “She would want to me to do everything I can so this will never happen again to any other child. I have to fight her fight.”
“Daniel Defense has said that they are praying for the Uvalde families,” said attorney Josh Koskoff. “They should back up those prayers with meaningful action. If they really are sincere in their desire to support these families, they will provide the information that Mr. Garza has requested without delay or excuse. Either way, we will do a complete and thorough investigation, leaving no stone unturned.”
The letter provided to the gunmakers asks for all advertisements and marketing showing assault rifles, communications about their marketing or advertisements, and any communications or contact made with the shooter.
“As we’ve seen in Texas, Buffalo, Sandy Hook and across the country, holding gun companies accountable when their weapons of war are used to tear apart families and communities is a daunting legal task,” said Texas attorney Mikal Watts. “Josh Koskoff is the only attorney in the country that has successfully navigated a case like this, and his expertise coupled with our deep and specific understanding of this community is what these families deserve.”
Original photo: Joe Cereghino / Wikimedia Commons
Fernando covers Texas politics and government at the Texas Signal. Before joining the Signal, Fernando spent two years at the Houston Chronicle and previously interned at Houston’s NPR station News 88.7. He is a graduate of the University of Houston, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication, and enjoys reading, highlighting things, and arguing on social media. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93 or email at fernando@texassignalarchive.com
