Houston, Texas - 1 Dead, 1 Injured After Alleged Shooting at Holly View Apartments

Woman Dead After Fiancee Allegedly Shot Her at Holly View Apartments

According to ABCNews, the victim, Dominic Jefferson, was allegedly shot by her fiancée of 4 days, Kendrick Akins, outside of her apartment complex on January 5, 2020. Witnesses state that the couple argued in the parking lot of the Holly View Apartments located at 5555 Holly View Drive.

One witness rushed to help Jefferson after the alleged shooting and was injured after Akins allegedly pulled the gun on the witness. The witness stated that the suspect fled the scene but turned himself in hours later to police where he was apprehended.

Akins had proposed to Jefferson on New Year's Eve after a mere 3 months of dating.

Tragically, Jefferson did not survive her injuries. Police stated that they are searching for security footage and the investigation into the alleged murder is still active.

Legal Actions for Victims and Families of Fatal Shootings

Attorney contributor Anjali Nigam works with victims and families in civil cases of violent crimes. Attorney Nigam commented below with legal advice for those families and victims who may choose to pursue a civil lawsuit.

"Property owners are legally responsible for ensuring the security and safety of their customers, visitors, and residents. Indeed, crimes such as shootings are often preventable with the appropriate security features that property owners are generally expected to provide.

Examples of adequate security can range from well-lit parking lots to cameras and even on-site security guards. When security features are not provided and someone suffers injuries from a shooting, the property owner can be held liable.

A civil litigation attorney must be able to prove that the act of not providing adequate security played a key role in the death or injury of a victim of a shooting. To do this, an experienced attorney will research the circumstances to verify if the crime committed was reasonably foreseeable. If it can be proven that a property owner or business owner knew about shootings or other crime in the area but did nothing to improve their security, they could be held liable for a particular incident.

If a property owner or business owner is found to have been negligent, they can be made to pay monetary damages via a lawsuit when a shooting occurs on their premises. Medical debts, therapy, and other expenses faced by victims or their loved ones are generally taken into account when financial compensation is awarded, especially if restitution from a criminal proceeding isn't enough to cover all of the damages suffered by victims" Nigam explains.

Contact our legal team if you or someone you know and love fell victim to a crime of this nature.

Sources:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/man-charged-shooting-death-fiancee-years-eve-proposal/story?id=68077319