Gun Accessory Firm Pays $1.75M to Buffalo Shooting Victims

Mean Arms settles lawsuit with NY AG after racist attack at supermarket in 2022

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The maker of a gun accessory tied to a racist shooting that killed 10 Black people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, will pay $1.75 million to survivors and victims' families and stop selling the device in the state. The agreement with Georgia-based Mean Arms settles a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who said the company's product allowed the gunman to easily remove a lock and add high-capacity magazines during the 2022 attack.

Why it matters

This settlement holds the gun accessory manufacturer accountable for its role in enabling the deadly attack at the Tops Friendly Market, a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood. It provides some measure of justice and comfort for the victims' families and survivors, while also banning the sale of the problematic device in New York to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The details

According to the lawsuit, the Mean Arms accessory was supposed to keep people from swapping in high-capacity magazines, which are illegal in New York. However, the gunman was able to easily remove the lock and add high-capacity magazines during the May 14, 2022 massacre. The company also provided step-by-step instructions on how to remove the lock. In addition to the $1.75 million settlement, Mean Arms has agreed to stop selling the device in New York.

  • The attack occurred on May 14, 2022 at the Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, New York.
  • The gunman, Payton Gendron, pleaded guilty to multiple state charges, including murder, in November 2022 and is serving a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
  • The federal trial on hate crime and weapons counts against Gendron is expected to begin this year.

The players

Mean Arms

A Georgia-based company that manufactures a gun accessory tied to the racist shooting in Buffalo.

Letitia James

The New York Attorney General who filed the lawsuit against Mean Arms.

Payton Gendron

The white gunman who carried out the racist attack at the Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, killing 10 Black people.

Pamela Pritchett

A victim's relative who spoke at the news conference about the impact of the attack on the community.

Pearl Young

A 77-year-old Sunday school teacher and food pantry operator who was killed in the attack.

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What they’re saying

“We hope that by holding this manufacturer accountable and banning it from selling this device in New York state, we can offer the people of Buffalo some measure of comfort.”

— Letitia James, New York Attorney General (newser.com)

“No one should be able to come into a store and, in two minutes, inflict so much damage to a community, to a family, to children.”

— Pamela Pritchett, Victim's relative (newser.com)

What’s next

The federal trial on hate crime and weapons counts against gunman Payton Gendron is expected to begin this year. The Justice Department has said it will seek the death penalty.

The takeaway

This settlement holds a gun accessory manufacturer accountable for its role in enabling a deadly racist attack, providing some justice for the victims' families and survivors. It also bans the sale of the problematic device in New York, helping to prevent similar incidents in the future and sending a strong message that such acts of hate will not be tolerated.