There also have been suits brought against gun manufacturers. And in the case of the shooting incident in Paducah, Kentucky, parents of the three girls killed by Michael Carneal are attempting to hold the media legally responsible for inducing violence, suing 25 companies that produce violent video games, movies, and web sites. These lawsuits reflect various attempts to resolve the unsettling issues raised by school shootings, a natural outgrowth of the need to find an explanation, and to hold someone accountable. The lawsuits are raising some controversial issues, however. Some have created divides within the communities involved, with critics saying that they unnecessarily draw out the pain and tragedy of the shooting incidents, and create an image of the victims as exploiting tragedy for money.
Plaintiffs defend their actions on various grounds.
Many have legitimate needs to recover money for medical expenses. For example, the mother of one of the children wounded at Columbine was forced to give up her job in order to care for her injured son, and needs to replace the lost income. In cases where there was no criminal trial, such as Columbine, some victims believe that a civil lawsuit could provide them with answers to lingering factual questions and an opportunity for healing and closure. And ultimately, many argue that legal intervention is necessary to address this perceived crisis. Parents, they say, must be encouraged to be more involved with and aware of what's going on with their children, gun manufacturers must be held accountable for injuries caused by their products, and media producers must be discouraged from creating and marketing violent products for children.