Brady Files Suit for City of Rochester Against Four Gun Manufacturers for Contributing to Gun Violence, Flow of Illegal Guns into City

Changes to the way that firearms are distributed and sold would significantly decrease the level of gun violence and gun crime in Rochester and elsewhere in the state of New York

Washington, D.C., January 22, 2026 — Brady, along with Napoli Shkolnik PLLC and Everytown Law, filed an amended complaint on behalf of the City of Rochester, NY, in a lawsuit against Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., Glock Inc., Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc., and Taurus International Manufacturing, Inc. Together, these four gun manufacturers account for more than 40 percent of guns recovered and traced by the Rochester Police Department in connection with crimes in recent years.

Originally filed by the City in 2021, the lawsuit seeks to hold these manufacturers accountable for their obligations under New York’s landmark gun industry accountability law. Passed in 2021 with support by Brady, the law was the first of its kind in the nation to allow gun manufacturers to be held civilly liable for the harm they cause by knowingly utilizing bad actors and dealers to sell their products. 

As the amended complaint alleges, Taurus, Glock, Ruger, and Smith & Wesson could significantly contribute to public safety by adopting measures to police its own distribution chain, including by identifying and refusing to supply dealers and distributors that have patterns of selling guns to criminals and straw purchasers. Changes to the way that firearms are distributed and sold would significantly decrease the level of gun violence and gun crime in Rochester and elsewhere in the state of New York. 

According to Brady’s 2026 firearms trace report, the majority of crime guns recovered from New York State are supplied from dealers in Monroe County. The report found that Rochester's overall crime gun recoveries are growing, with numbers expected to rise, but would likely decrease if local dealers improved their business practices.