CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The City of Chicago announced a first-of-its-kind lawsuit against a gun manufacturer.
The city accuses Glock of endangering "Chicagoans by manufacturing and selling in the Chicago civilian market semiautomatic pistols that can easily be converted to illegal machine guns with an auto sear – a cheap, small device commonly known as a 'Glock switch.”
The lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court Tuesday, is the first to use Illinois’s new Firearms Industry Responsibility Act, which was passed and signed into law in 2023 to hold gun companies accountable for actions that endanger the public.
Chicago police have recovered over 1,100 Glocks that have been converted into illegal machine guns in the last two years alone in connection with many types of crimes including homicides, aggravated assaults, batteries, kidnappings, burglaries, home invasions, carjackings, and attempted robberies, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also alleges that Glock knows about the issue and could fix the problem, but refuses to do so.
Therefore, the city is seeking a court order requiring the company to cease sales of its easily converted pistols to Chicago civilians. The city also said it seeks penalties against Glock and damages for the harm that it has caused to the city.
“Gun manufacturers like Glock must be held accountable for the irresponsible decision to continue selling firearms that can be easily modified and converted into weapons of war,” said Deputy Mayor of Community Safety Garien Gatewood in a statement.
“Our administration will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to protect Chicagoans from these weapons and the companies that continue to manufacture them.”
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