Families File Lawsuits Against Major Gun Dealer that Supplied Serial Killer with Firearms

Washington, D.C., August 23, 2019 — Family members of two victims killed by a notorious serial killer filed lawsuits against the gun dealer who sold alleged straw purchased firearms used in the killing. The lawsuits were filed today by the families of Charles David Carver and Meagan Leigh Coxie. The gunman, a convicted and a known serial killer, has admitted to murdering Carver and Coxie. The lawsuits allege that the gun dealer, Academy Sports + Outdoors, illegally and negligently sold guns in multiple straw purchases to Dustan Lawson — the man who supplied weapons to the gunman. Jonathan Lowy and Erin Davis of Brady, Mary Schiavo of Motley Rice, and Mills Ariail of the law offices of R. Mills Ariail, Jr. are counsel for the families.

Mary Schiavo of Motley Rice said:

“We are committed to obtaining justice for these victims, while helping their families find answers and meaning. We don’t want to see any other family endure such an avoidable tragedy. Academy Sports + Outdoors should have followed the law.”

Mills Ariail of the law offices of R. Mills Ariail, Jr. said:

“When a gun dealer chooses to engage in irresponsible and illegal sales practices that arm dangerous people, they should be held responsible.”

Erin Davis, Senior Counsel, Trial and Appellate Litigation at Brady stated:

“While most gun dealers care deeply about their responsibility to keep guns out of the wrong hands, some gun dealers put profits over people by illegally selling guns to straw purchasers.”

These are the second and third lawsuits filed by Brady against Academy Sports + Outdoors on behalf of victims killed by the gunman. The first lawsuit, Coxie v. Academy Sports and Outdoors, was filed in December of 2018 on behalf of Johnny Coxie’s family. The gunman confessed to killing a total of seven people, including Charles David Carver, Meagan Leigh Coxie, and Johnny Coxie.

The complaint alleges that the gunman used a Glock pistol purchased from Academy Sports + Outdoors to kill Charles David Carver, Meagan Leigh Coxie, and Johnny Coxie. In July, a trial judge denied Academy Sports + Outdoors’ motion to dismiss the first lawsuit filed on behalf of Johnny Coxie’s family.

Brady is dedicated to reducing gun injuries and deaths in American gun violence. For over 30 years, Brady has worked in the courts to reform dangerous gun industry practices that give criminals and dangerous people access to guns, winning over $30 million in settlements and verdicts, and precedent-setting rulings in courts, including: Alaska, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.