The Legal Chronicle
Elias Gaspar Escobar Lopez and One Other Teen Boy Fatally Injured in Guntersville Fast Food Restaurant Shooting. (WFAA.com)
Could the shooting at a Guntersville fast food restaurant parking lot have been prevented and are justice and compensation available to the victims families? Read Our Legal Take below to find out what legal options are available.
Local News
A young man and another teen lost their lives in a shooting at a Guntersville, Alabama restaurant parking lot Thursday night, September 23, 2020.
As reported by SandMountianReporter.com, the shooting “occurred Thursday night in the parking lot of the [fast food] restaurant in Guntersville.”
WAFF.com is reporting, “the shooting stemmed from an argument, which resulted in one person shooting the two victims.”
According to the report, “Guntersville Police identified the two victims shot and killed in the shooting as 19-year-old Elias Gaspar Escobar Lopez, of Boaz, and a 17-year-old male whose name could not be released.”
A suspect was arrested in connection to the shooting.
The investigation is ongoing.
Our Legal Take
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Fast food restaurant patrons have a right to feel safe and secure while on the premises they are visiting. The level of security provided at the property is of significance, and is a relevant consideration when analyzing whether this shooting may have been prevented. The following questions are also important in assessing whether this incident may have been avoided:
- Have prior incidents of violence been reported on or near the property, and, if so, were any security measures added after any prior incidents?
- Was the restaurant aware of any suspicious activity on property prior to the shooting?
- What security measures, such as visible surveillance cameras, and security personnel, were in place to deter crime and protect the victims at the time of the shooting?
Property owners are generally required to protect against foreseeable harm to anyone and everyone legally on the premises. Should the investigation into this incident reveal facts that establish that the property owner or management lacked adequate security to protect its visitors, the family of Elias Gaspar Escobar Lopez and the other teen victim may seek justice and elect to pursue legal claims and substantial compensation for their loss.
The Murray Law Firm has extensive and successful experience in handling security negligence claims on behalf of victims and their families, and suggests that an immediate, unbiased inspection of the property will need to be performed so as to limit evidence from being altered, damaged or destroyed. The complexities of pursuing a negligent security case are well understood by the legal team at The Murray Law Firm, and it is imperative that the family of Elias Gaspar Escobar Lopez and the other teen victim retain a capable law firm who will work without delay to protect their interests.
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The Murray Law Firm has a long history of representing victims of violence and security negligence. We have obtained over $100 Million in verdicts and settlements for our Clients, including a $29.25 million dollar verdict for a victim of an unsafe property. We offer our legal assistance, if desired.
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