A US court has ruled that firearms manufacturers could be sued for causing a public nuisance if their distribution processes made it easy for youngsters and criminals to obtain weapons.
The ruling, from a court in Illinois, has created fears of a wave of lawsuits against the US firearms industry.
The decision came after the court heard that firearms manufacturers had been flooding Chicago and its neighbourhoods with their products, effectively causing a public nuisance.
However anti-gun control groups have criticised the decision, saying many product manufacturers could be found liable if such thinking was extended to other industries.
