A public nuisance statute that the state passed last year allows the government to sue gun stores in civil court, and New Jersey is currently suing three gun sellers under it.
According to one case, a burglarized shop improperly placed guns where they could be seen from the outside. Others believe that so-called “ghost guns” were sold and transported into New Jersey.
The claims are based on a 2022 law that increased the state government’s ability to sue gun dealers in civil court for monetary damages. The lawsuits seek an injunction and specific monetary and punitive damages from the firms.
“We’re going to hold these folks accountable, but they won’t be the last,” state Attorney General Matt Platkin said Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.
“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,” he said.
The lawsuits are against FSS Armory of Pine Brook, New Jersey, Eagle Shows of Pennsylvania, and JSD Supply of Pennsylvania.
According to state law, firearms must be secured and not kept in any window or area visible from the outside.
The claim, filed in state Superior Court in Morristown, accused store owner Ross Osias of “reckless” and “substandard storage and security practices,” according to Patch.
The business was broken into on January 20th, and 20 guns were stolen. According to state authorities, FSS Armory kept rifles, handguns, and gun boxes in an open area near a ground-floor window used to enter the shop during the burglary.
Although the burglary resulted in arrests, some of the stolen firearms were never found.
According to the lawsuit, several of the confiscated firearms were discovered as far away as New York City.
According to the Associated Press, the suit against Eagle Shows and JSD Supply alleged the Pennsylvania-based companies sold so-called ghost weapons—guns with no serial number—to New Jersey citizens.
State police, according to Platkin, have detained New Jersey residents who obtained unlawful merchandise at Eagle Shows.
Cam Edwards, writing for Bearing Arms, a pro-Second Amendment website, disputed the ghost gun story.
“First of all, we’re not talking about completed firearms. If we were, then JSD Supply would be putting every buyer through a background check, as required by federal law. What the company is selling are incomplete frames and receivers that, when finished, are considered firearms under the Gun Control Act,” he wrote.
“New Jersey may have made possession of those items illegal, but if Eagle Shows and JSD Supply aren’t violating any laws then I don’t know why they would be held culpable for any New Jersey residents who purchased their products,” he wrote.
According to the Associated Press, the lawsuits are the first time the state has attempted to implement a law approved in July 2022 that established a vehicle for civil court enforcement of state gun regulations.
According to the Daily Caller, the statute was challenged in November 2022, but it was rejected in August because no attempt was made to execute it.
According to NJspotlightnews, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which previously sued to prevent the rule from being enforced, has stated that it will suit again if the state acts.