The family of a North Carolina teenager shot and killed by a stray bullet is suing the gunmaker, reports the Insurance Journal. A lawsuit filed Monday in Charlotte says the Remington Model 700 rifle misfired and the company was negligent in manufacturing it.
Almost two years ago, 16-year-old Jasmine Thar was killed and her godmother and a friend wounded by the same bullet as they were in the front yard. Investigations by the FBI and the state law enforcement agents determined the bullet came from a neighbor’s rifle that accidentally discharged while he was cleaning it.
Remington did not return messages seeking comment about the lawsuit. The Rockingham County-based company says on its website its Model 700 rifle is safe and malfunctions often involve alterations or improper upkeep. It has also been pointed out by gun experts that one should always empty any gun of bullets before cleaning or handling it.