A prominent Texas personal injury lawyer today filed a lawsuit against the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas and several other defendants in connection with last week's deadly shooting, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
The lawsuit, filed by attorney Mo Aziz of the Houston firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto and Aziz, is the first to name gunman Steven Paddock's estate and the hotel as defendants. An anti gun group has filed a lawsuit against the makers of those so called 'Bump Stock' devices which allowed Paddock to fire rounds faster into the crowd, killing 58.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of California college student Paige Gasper, who was wounded in the shooting.
Other defendants include the concert promoter Live Nation, MGM Resorts International, the parent company of the Mandalay Bay, and Slide Fire Solutions, which manufacturers 'bump stocks.'
"The lawsuit will focus on a movement for change to make people and places safer, and hold people responsible for failing to protect the innocent," the law firm said in a statement.
Specifically, the lawsuit claims that Mandalay Bay was negligent by:
Failing to properly surveil people coming and going from the hotel
Failing to monitor the hotel premisis with closed-circuit television.
Failing to timely respond or otherwise act upon Paddock's shooting of Mandalay Bay Security Officer Jesus Campos, who was shot by Paddock six full minutes before he opened fire on the crowd
Failing to take action against Paddock's delivery of guns and ammunition to his hotel room.
Failing to adequately train and supervise employees on the reporting and discovery of suspicious activities
As for Live Nation, the lawsuit claims it 'failed to design, build, and mark adequate exits in case of emergency.'
"At all relevant times, Paddock acted with malice forethought, and evil intent in firing gunshots in firing gunshots into plaintiff," the lawsuit concludes.