during their attacks in October 2002 The Bushmaster XM15-E2S "M4 type" carbine first gained notoriety for its use in the October 2002
Beltway sniper attacks. A Bushmaster XM15-E2S carbine was displayed in a February 2011 video message by
Caucasus Emirate leader
Dokka Umarov. Bushmaster rifles were captured by pro-Russian forces during the
Russo-Georgian War. A Bushmaster XM-15 was used in the December 2012
Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Just before the second anniversary of the massacre, nine families of the 26 victims of the shooting filed a
class action lawsuit in Connecticut against Bushmaster,
Remington Arms and others, seeking "unspecified" damages for the
defendants' purported negligent entrustment and illegal marketing of the XM-15 rifle.
Plaintiffs argued that both theories of liability fell within exceptions to the 2005
Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which affords broad civil immunity to gun manufacturers. The case was dismissed in superior court and was appealed to the
Connecticut Supreme Court. In March 2019, the Connecticut Supreme Court reinstated the
wrongful death lawsuit, holding that the plaintiffs successfully pleaded a cause of action for illegal marketing. Remington
appealed to the United States Supreme Court, which denied review on November 12, 2019. On February 15, 2022, Remington Arms insurers settled with families of Sandy Hook victims and agreed to pay a total of $73 million to families. XM-15 rifles were also used in the 1997
North Hollywood shootout (illegally converted to full auto), the 2018
Nashville Waffle House shooting, and the
2022 Buffalo shooting. An XM15-E2 was captured from
Islamic State fighters in
Sinjar Mountains by
Peshmerga during the
Iraqi Civil War. ==Legality==