A wrongful death lawsuit filed Monday by families of some of the Sandy Hook massacre victims targets the maker and sellers of the semi-automatic Bushmaster AR-15 rifle that the gunman used. A look at the weapon, its history and its involvement in other high-profile shootings:
HOW WERE THE WEAPONS DEVELOPED?
Armalite first built the so-called AR-15 rifle for military use, but the design was later acquired by Colt, which produced the M-16 for the U.S. military. In the early 1960s, Colt then began marketing the semi-automatic AR-15 rifle largely as the civilian version of the fully automatic M-16. Many other companies have since begun manufacturing and selling AR-15-type rifles, but under different names, including the Remington Arms R-15, Bushmaster X-15 and Carbon 15 and the Smith & Wesson M&P15. The AR-15 has become the commonly-used generic term for all similar rifles.
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WHAT ARE THEY USED FOR?
AR-15-type rifles and .223-caliber ammunition are largely used for hunting small game like coyotes and prairie dogs. They also are extremely popular in shooting competitions due to the light weight of the gun and ammunition and the weapon's accuracy.
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HIGH-PROFILE SHOOTINGS
