As the U.S. Air Force continues to investigate the death of a 21-year-old airman in an incident involving his Sig Sauer-made pistol — and law enforcement agencies and weapons ranges across the country take steps to ban use of the gun — the gun manufacturer is defending the safety of the weapon.
In a statement issued late Tuesday, Sig Sauer, which is headquartered in Newington, New Hampshire, sought to address a wave of fresh allegations about the gun’s ability to fire unexpectedly.
“The P320 pistol is one of the safest, most advanced pistols in the world — meeting and exceeding all industry safety standards,” the company said.
Sig Sauer’s comments are its fullest remarks since the fatality on Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, and are noticeably less combative than a campaign the company launched in March, when it accused “grifters” and the “anti-gun mob” of ginning up fake concerns about the P320 pistol.
Read more: Documents detail U.S. soldiers shot by their own Sig Sauer guns; military says no reason for concern
The shift in tone comes after the July 20 death of security forces member Airman Brayden Lovan, who is being mourned in his hometown of Greenville, Kentucky. The Air Force has provided no details about the shooting, but its Global Strike Force unit immediately suspended use of the M18 — the military’s version of the P320 — stripping the weapon from more than 33,000 personnel.
"Weapons safety is a critical responsibility and we continue to prioritize the security of our Airmen and Guardians as they perform their challenging missions,” an Air Force spokesperson said of the suspension of the gun.
Sig Sauer has faced more than 100 lawsuits in recent years over allegations that its best-selling pistol has a design flaw that leaves it susceptible to unintentional firings. Plaintiffs have included members of law enforcement who say they were shot by their own guns, frequently in the leg or foot, as the gun sat in its holster.
The company has vigorously denied any design or manufacturing flaw, and in its statement Tuesday, reiterated that the gun “cannot, under any circumstances, discharge without the trigger first being moved to the rear.”
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Lovan’s death has prompted gun ranges, including Gunsite Academy in Arizona, to prohibit use of the P320. Previously, a police academy range in Washington also prohibited use of the gun, prompting a lawsuit by the company. Numerous law enforcement agencies, including the Milwaukee and Dallas police departments, have also stopped carrying the weapon.
On Wednesday, Lovan’s family announced it was retaining a Philadelphia-based law firm that has represented plaintiffs seeking compensation from Sig Sauer. The family issued a statement urging the military and law enforcement agencies to discontinue carrying the pistol.
The U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy and multiple federal law enforcement divisions have all adopted versions of the P320 as their standard-issue firearm in recent years, bolstering the gun’s reputation in the civilian and law enforcement markets. Reporting by NHPR has found that there have been previous unintended discharges of the gun involving soldiers since the weapon was adopted, though the military has previously denied any concerns about the safety of the gun.
Earlier this year, Sig Sauer announced it would take an aggressive approach to defending the P320, saying that false allegations were “nothing more than individuals seeking to profit or avoid personal responsibility” for their actions. The company initially settled at least two claims involving injured law enforcement officers, but has since fought allegations in court, leaving judges and juries to hand down mixed verdicts.
In its statement Tuesday, the company said it respected the public’s increased concerns and will “provide as much information as possible” about the gun.
