A California judge ruled that victims of a 2019 shooting in San Diego that left one dead and three wounded can sue the manufacturer of a rifle and the gun shop that sold it. Superior Court Judge Kenneth Medel ruled (pdf) Wednesday that the victims and families in the shooting in Poway, California, can file a lawsuit against Smith & Wesson, one of the largest gun manufacturers in the world, over alleged negligence. Lawyers for Smith & Wesson argued that the lawsuit was barred by the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), a federal law that shields gun manufacturers and sellers from liability. The 2005 law prohibits arms manufacturers and dealers from being sued over crimes that were committed with their products, although there are exceptions to the rule. The plaintiffs in the suit alleged that the gun maker violated California state law by designing the M&P15 rifle—similar to the …