The Federal Trade Commission dismissed its antitrust complaint against Axon Enterprise Inc. in a move that will end a five-year legal battle surrounding the Scottsdale-based company’s acquisition of body-worn camera provider Vievu.
The FTC dismissed its administrative enforcement action on Oct. 6, stating Axon’s challenges to its adjudication process would “likely result in years of additional litigation.”
The legal battle was initially sparked by Axon's acquisition of Seattle-based Vievu in 2018 for $13 million in cash and stock. In a court filing, Axon claimed Vievu was struggling financially, was destined to "leave the market" and that it approached Axon as a "last resort." A month after the acquisition, the FTC initiated an investigation into the deal for anticompetitive behavior, stating the merger would allow Axon — which makes Taser stun guns and body-worn cameras for law enforcement — to "impose substantial price increases."
