Many Georgia residents were shocked by the school shooting that occurred back in February in Parkland, Fla. The shooter faces 17 charges of murder and 17 charges of attempted murder. In addition, two lawsuits have been filed on behalf of the victims. The first was filed in early April by the parents of a student whose injuries now confine him to a wheelchair. The second is a wrongful death suit just recently filed in a Broward County court.
The plaintiff is the father of one of the victims, and the eight defendants from whom he seeks an unspecified amount of damages include the shooter, three mental health centers that treated the shooter and a deputy sheriff. The deputy, who was assigned to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School as an armed resource officer in 2009, stands accused of failing to carry out his duty.
The father has accused the defendant of being a coward because he did not enter the school upon hearing the gunshots. Instead, the deputy called dispatch to have the school locked down while remaining hidden between two concrete walls. The defense attorney has told reporters that the deputy believed that the gunshots were coming from outside and therefore acted reasonably.
Since property owners have a responsibility to keep guests and other entrants from being injured or killed, failure to do so can result in lawsuits. Victims, or their families, can speak with a lawyer about receiving compensation for damages.
An experienced lawyer may have a wide network of professionals who can investigate an incident and find proof of the other side’s negligence; for example, proof of an inadequate number of security personnel or of poor security training. Legal counsel can then litigate or handle negotiations.