A Georgia-based firearms accessory manufacturer has agreed to stop selling a high-capacity magazine device linked to the 2022 Buffalo supermarket mass shooting as part of a legal settlement with New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The company, Mean Arms — also known as Mean LLC — will pay $1.75 million to the families of those killed, survivors, and others injured in the attack at the Tops Friendly Markets store in Buffalo. The settlement was announced Wednesday by James’ office.
In a statement, James described the shooting as a “racist” act of violence that claimed 10 lives and injured three others. She said no financial settlement can undo the harm caused but called the agreement a step toward accountability.
The lawsuit, filed in 2023 in New York Supreme Court, alleged that the MA Lock device sold by Mean Arms allowed the gunman, Payton Gendron, to modify his AR-15-style rifle in a way that made it more lethal. According to the complaint, the company marketed the device as compliant with New York’s gun laws while also providing instructions on how to remove the locking mechanism.
James said the lock could be easily detached, enabling the use of detachable high-capacity magazines, which are illegal in New York. She argued that the shooter removed the device and inserted 30-round magazines, allowing him to fire more rounds without frequent reloading.
The case is part of broader efforts by James to enforce New York’s gun laws following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which struck down the state’s requirement that concealed carry applicants show “proper cause.” That ruling prompted New York and other Democrat-led states to revise and, in some cases, tighten their firearm regulations.
Gun control advocates praised the settlement, saying it sends a message to manufacturers about the consequences of allegedly skirting state gun laws. Leigh Rome, senior litigation attorney at the GIFFORDS Law Center, said while the agreement cannot bring back those killed, it may help prevent future violence.
Mean Arms has not publicly commented on the settlement.
