There's a new crackdown on the gun industry.

New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin is suing the gun maker Glock for allowing handguns to be turned into automatic weapons.

The civil litigation is considered the largest case against the gun industry.

It calls on Glock to suspend sales of its switchable firearms to the civilian market, alleging the weapons can easily be made into illegal machine guns with an inexpensive add on component known as a Glock switch, that enables the pistols to fire up to 1200 rounds a minute.

The AG calls it a threat to public safety, accusing Glock of profiting from it.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan reports.

You get one shot per trigger pull on an unmodified Glock nine millimeter pistol.

But Jersey's attorney general played a video to show how adding this little piece, called a switch, transforms that Glock into an illegal machine gun.

A switch enables a Glock to automatically fire up to 1200 rounds per minute.

For decades, Glock has knowingly sold products that anyone with a screwdriver and a YouTube video can turn into a military grade machine gun in a matter of minutes.

Attorney General Matt Platkin announced he's leading a coalition of attorneys general from 16 states seeking to combat gun violence by coordinated enforcement of civil and consumer protection laws.

The first action, a landmark lawsuit against Glock filed by Platkin along with Minnesota's attorney general.

This is the most consequential and significant lawsuit ever filed by state attorneys general against a major firearms manufacturer.

Police report A plague of switch Glocks.

One recent study shows the ATF seized more than 5400 guns with conversions between 2017 and 2021 nationwide.

That's a 570% increase over the 814 converted weapons seized between 2012 and 2016.

Glock doesn't make the switch, but folks can buy one online or make their own with a 3D printer and Platt can, says Glock.

Profited Glock owners set in Austria, where they are based, and lined their pockets with products paid for by American bloodshed.

And they did nothing.

That behavior placing profits over human life is unconscionable.

The lawsuit brings five counts against Glock under Jersey's firearms industry, public safety law, and one count under its Products Liability Act.

In the Superior Courts Chancery Division, we are seeking an order that will stop Glock from continuing to market and distribute easily swish handguns to civilian consumers in new Jersey, as well as restitution for the public harm Glock has caused.

However, Glock does make a fifth generation nine millimeter pistol that's designed with a block.

It prevents users from being able to install a switch.

However, that's not good enough, according to the lawsuit.

The suit derides Glock for adding a small plastic piece that can easily be filed away in a few minutes.

This minor modification was not a genuine, reasonable, bona fide solution to the problem.

Glock is selling a version of their firearm in Germany that cannot be switched.

Not that it's slightly harder to switch.

It cannot be switched.

That firearm is not available here in the United States.

Glock did not reply to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, Moms Demand Action had plenty to say.

And honestly, it's about time.

This is an epidemic and that we have to hold the gun industry accountable.

I'm thrilled that he is working with other attorney generals across the country.

Glock faces a similar lawsuit filed by the city of Chicago.

Platkin says this isn't an attack on Second Amendment rights, and he fired a political salvo.

And we know this work has never been more important, because we know that the incoming Trump administration routinely sides with the gun industry over commonsense gun safety protections.

He says it's about public safety.

In Newark, I'm Brenda Flanagan, NJ Spotlight News.