Tree Of Life Victims' Son Sues NRA, Claiming Gun Lobby's Rhetoric Led To Mass Shooting
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A man who lost both of his parents in the Tree of Life massacre is suing the NRA.
Marc Simon is the son of Sylvan and Bernice Simon, two of the 11 people killed by alleged shooter Robert Bowers at the Tree of Life synagogue in 2018.
"With those changes in place, Marc Simon's parents will not have died in vain," said Charles Lamberton, the attorney representing Marc Simon.
Simon's suit claims the NRA's inflammatory rhetoric led to the violence.
"Bowers was not born fearing and hating Jews. The gun lobby taught him to do that," the lawsuit reads.
It goes on to say the gun lobby has radicalized people like Bowers with "white supremacist conspiracy theories."
"He'd see a conspiracy theory coming out of the National Rifle Association on NRA-TV and a couple of weeks later, or a couple of days later, you'd hear Mr. Bowers say basically the same thing on Gab," said Lamberton.
The lawsuit also names Colt Manufacturing Company, Bowers and the unnamed company that sold the AR-15 used in the attack.
"Our deepest sympathies go out to those impacted by this tragic event," says Andrew Arulanandam, managing director, NRA Public Affairs in a statement. "The NRA is not a party to this action. The NRA promotes the safe, lawful use of firearms and is saddened by this horrific event. We stand with those who strictly enforce our current gun laws and call for the protection of all houses of worship."
The Tree of Life mass shooting was the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in United States history.