The mother of a 15-year-old shooting victim is planning on suing Pennsylvania-based gun parts retailer JSD Supply, Patriot Enterprises, and its owner, Jordan Vinroe, for a shooting that took place in Philadelphia using a gun not purchased from or even offered for sale by the retailer.
The shooting occurred in Philadelphia’s Kingsessing section in July of 2023 when a man shot and killed five people using an AR-15 built from an 80% lower receiver. The mentally disturbed man was wearing body armor and a ski mask. The murderer was experiencing a psychotic episode, according to the court-appointed psychiatrist.
The unfinished 80% AR-15 lower receiver was purchased from 80-Lower, an Indiana-based company. Four of the five victims are suing 80-Lowers, its parent company, Tactical Gear Heads, and Chad Myers, who owns both companies. The sale of 80% AR-15 lower receivers is legal, even after the rule change that saw the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) redefine a firearm to include unfinished pistol frames. The ATF concluded that the amount of finishing work needed to complete an AR-15 lower receiver precluded it from being considered a firearm unless sold with a jig or tools.
Gun and firearms parts manufacturers are exempt from being sued over the misuse of their products by the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), a federal law. The exception to that law is if there is negligence on the part of the gun company. Lawyers for the families are claiming negligence on the part of the company that sold the unfinished lower receiver to the shooter because he was a prohibited person and not allowed to own guns.
The fifth victim’s mother, DaJuan Brown, has decided to sue two local companies and their owner, even though their products were not used in the shooting. JSD Supply sells gun parts and previously sold Polymer80 unfinished firearms kits, but it has not sold them since 2022. The shooter did own a Polymer80, but court documents do not say where he purchased the gun, and it was not used to shoot anyone.
The other company, also owned by Vinroe, which is being sued, hosts gun shows nationwide. The reason the company is being sued is that it has the same address as JSD Supply. Mr. Vinroe entered the gun show business after his company was shut out of a local Pennsylvania gun show due to pressure from then-Attorney General and now-Governor Josh Shapiro. He would purchase the gun show to the dismay of Shapiro.
It is unclear to what extent Ms. Brown has the right to sue a company for the death of her son, who played no part in the killing. Some compare it to suing Chevy for a death due to a drunk driver driving a Ford. Others believe that this is a case of lawfare and being funded by an anti-gun group, although no evidence exists yet since the lawsuit has yet to be filed, but this does fall into the anti-gun group’s playbook. Several anti-gun groups, such as Brady, have offered continuing legal education (CLEs) classes on how to get around PLCAA by claiming “negligence.”
Philadelphia also has a city ordinance blocking the private manufacturing of firearms. Although, according to the city itself, the ordinance is ineffective. A case challenging the ordinance has been brought by Gun Owners of America (GOA) for allegedly violating the Commonwealth’s preemption law, which prevents localities from passing their own gun laws that conflict with state law. The case is currently before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
“This latest attack against JSD Supply and Jordan Vinroe is nothing more than continued lawfare against lawful, Second Amendment businesses,” said GOA State Director Dr. Val Finnell. “PA Governor Josh Shapiro started the assault against JSD and homemade firearms when he was Attorney General. That’s why gun owners need to defeat Shapiro in 2026.”
Once the lawsuit is filed, we will have more information about who is funding the case. JSD Supply and Mr. Vinroe did not have a comment at the time of publishing.
About John Crump
Mr. Crump is an NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. John has written about firearms, interviewed people from all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons, follow him on X at @crumpyss, or at www.crumpy.com.
