Insurer Off the Hook for Defense Costs in School Shooting Suits

A firearm accessory manufacturer’s liability insurer doesn’t have to cover its legal defense costs in litigation alleging its marketing tactics influenced the perpetrator of a 2022 school shooting in Washington, D.C.

The underlying lawsuits brought by survivors of the shooting allege only deliberate conduct by SureFire LLC, and as a result, don’t trigger coverage under James River Insurance Co.'s policy, Judge James V. Selna of the US District Court for the Central District of California said in a Thursday order granting partial summary judgment to the insurer.

James River sued Fountain Valley, Calif.-based SureFire in July 2024, seeking a declaratory ...