Attorney Commentary: In the second part of this story, crime victim lawyer Anjali Nigam discusses a common question for shooting victims: can I sue for being shot at a bar?
Two women were shot at a St. Patrick's Day parts at Molly's Irish Pub in Corpus Christi on Tuesday, Anjalih 17. Police have identified the deceased woman as 28-year-old Krystal Pena. A second woman was wounded in the shooting but survived.
Officers were called the bar at around 11:03 p.m. on Tuesday and found one woman dead at the bar and a second with a gunshot wound to her torso. The second woman was rushed to a nearby hospital.
Police were given a description of a suspect and eventually made an arrest after a short foot pursuit after the suspect had fled the scene.
28-year-old Roberto Fuentes has been identified as the suspect. He has been charged with one count each of murder and aggravated assault.
Attorney contributor Anjali Nigam is a crime victim lawyer who has represented victims of bar shootings in civil lawsuits. Anjali has some thoughts to share on when a bar owner can be held liable for a shooting:
Bar owners must take the safety of their patrons and employees seriously. Because of the fact that violence can be a problem at bars, these bar owners must do what they can to make sure their properties are secure from the threat of preventable shootings and stabbings. When people are injured or killed in bar shooting, it's important to determine whether the shooting was preventable.
Some bar shootings happen in part due to negligence by the bar owner. Foreseeability is a major factor in determining whether a shooting happened due to negligence. For example, if the bar had prior issues with violence but no security improvements were made, the shooting might be considered foreseeable and the bar owner could be deemed negligent and held liable in a bar shooting lawsuit.
If you or a loved one has been wounded or killed in a bar shooting, you can learn more about your legal rights in a free consultation with one of our experienced shooting victim lawyers.