- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Gun Accessory Maker Tied to Buffalo Shooting Agrees to $1.75M Settlement
Mean Arms will stop selling device used by gunman and pay victims' families under agreement with New York Attorney General
Published on Feb. 12, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The maker of a gun accessory tied to the 2022 racist shooting at a Buffalo supermarket that killed 10 people has agreed to pay $1.75 million to survivors and victims' families and stop selling the device in New York state. The agreement with Georgia-based Mean Arms settles a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Why it matters
The settlement aims to hold the gun accessory manufacturer accountable and prevent the device from being used in future attacks. It comes as part of the ongoing legal fallout from the Tops Friendly Market shooting, which was one of the deadliest racist attacks in recent U.S. history.
The details
According to the attorney general, the gun accessory made by Mean Arms was used by the shooter to easily remove a lock that was supposed to prevent the use of high-capacity magazines, which are illegal in New York. The company also provided instructions on how to remove the lock. As part of the settlement, Mean Arms has agreed to stop selling the device in New York.
- The shooting occurred in May 2022 at the Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo.
- The settlement agreement was reached in February 2026.
The players
Letitia James
The New York State Attorney General who filed the lawsuit against Mean Arms and announced the settlement.
Mean Arms
The Georgia-based gun accessory manufacturer that made the device used by the Buffalo shooter and has agreed to pay $1.75 million and stop selling the product in New York.
Payton Gendron
The white gunman who carried out the racist attack at the Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, killing 10 people.
Vintage Firearms LLC
The gun seller that reached a separate agreement to resolve claims related to the Buffalo shooting.
Pamela Pritchett
The relative of one of the victims, Pearl Young, who spoke at the announcement of the settlement.
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 State Attorney General (CBS News)
“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, Relative of victim Pearl Young (CBS News)
What’s next
A federal trial on hate crime and weapons charges against the shooter, Payton Gendron, is expected to begin later this year. The Justice Department has said it will seek the death penalty.
The takeaway
This settlement represents an effort to hold accountable the manufacturers and sellers of gun accessories that can be used to circumvent laws and enable deadly attacks. It also provides some measure of justice and closure for the victims' families and the Buffalo community.
