New Jersey is going to war with one of America’s most popular handguns. In a lawsuit with sweeping national implications, the state accuses firearms giant SIGSauer of selling pistols so dangerous that they can fire without anyone pulling the trigger.
Attorney General Matt Platkin announced the action Thursday, demanding a mandatory recall of every P320 in New Jersey and a permanent halt to future sales.
“What’s more dangerous than a gun that fires when you don’t want it to?” Platkin said. “A gun maker that refuses to fix the problem.”
A Long Trail of Warnings
For years, police officers and private gun owners have reported eerily similar stories: holstered P320 pistols suddenly discharging, sometimes causing catastrophic injuries. Those allegations—and now the state’s lawsuit—paint a picture of a manufacturer aware of the danger but unwilling to act.
Platkin’s complaint referenced a CBSAustin investigation that uncovered multiple such incidents, including injuries to Texas officers. But the main part of his case involves a New Jersey Police Officer who ended in tragedy: Officer Walter Imbert was killed when his service pistol allegedly fired as he cleaned it.
Attorney JeffBagnell, who represents plaintiffs nationwide, agrees with the Attorney General Platkin that the P320 is “a set mousetrap—hair trigger sensitive, with no external safety.” Bagnell says he’s tracked nearly 500 suspected unintentional discharges across the U.S. and PuertoRico.
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Texas Officers Tell Their Stories
CBSAustin’s reporting captured the human toll. A LaGrange officer said he was merely walking when the pistol fired. In MarbleFalls, another officer recalled, “My hands were nowhere near the gun.” A Houston officer echoed the same disbelief: “It didn’t make any sense.”
In each case, officers were hit—injured, often in the leg, while performing routine duties, all saying their hands were nowhere near the trigger.
SIGSauer’s Firm Denial
The company rejects every claim. In a sharply worded statement, SIGSauer accused New Jersey officials of spreading “false and unsubstantiated” information. It insists the P320 is “one of the safest, most advanced pistols in the world,” vetted to exceed all industry safety standards.
To bolster its defense, SIGSauer directs critics to an online “P320Truth” page— www.p320truth.com– though attorneys for the victims say that’s disinformation dressed as transparency.
What Happens Next
The lawsuit seeks not only to pull the P320 from New Jersey shelves but to make SIGSauer pay for the recall. Platkin called the company’s actions “indefensible,” vowing to hold the gunmaker accountable.
This is the first time a state government has moved to recall the P320—a bold test that could ripple across the firearms industry.
The question now: will other states join the fight, or will SIGSauer’s defense hold fire in court?