According to NBC News, 51-year-old Lisa McMullan was caught on surveillance cameras standing up and shooting three Illinois State Troopers in the Humidor Cigar Lounge located at 1600 Ogden Avenue on Friday, January 24th. McMullan is seen in the video to have turned the gun on herself and pulling the trigger.
The victims, Greg Rieves, Lloyd Graham, and Kaiton Bullock, were transported to a local hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. Rieves, 51, died from his injuries while Graham and Bullock are expected to recover.
Authorities stated that McMullan was dead on-scene and that no motive for the incident was evident.
Guy D'Andrea, an experienced shooting victim lawyer and contributor to the Legal Herald, regularly works with victims of violent crimes in civil lawsuits. Below, he has shared his experience in regards to the civil court process for these victims and their family members.
“No matter where you live, property owners must follow premises liability law under the United States Code. This law protects individuals who are visiting the property in the event a crime occurs. Certain security measures should be in place to ensure the safety of the property’s patrons. A few examples of security include lighting on sidewalks and parking areas, on-site officers, and video surveillance.
Property owners can find themselves in legal trouble if they fail to provide a secure environment. Negligence can occur on behalf of the property owner if a crime committed on their property results in injuries to their patrons. In fact, in many civil cases against a proprietors, courts have found the owners to be partially responsible for a crime on their property if they knew that it was likely to take place yet did nothing to stop it.
A crime victim attorney must be able to prove the negligence by the property owner to have a successful case that results in compensation for their clients. Compensation may be extremely helpful for victims of shootings or other violent crimes as they will likely face medical bills, therapy costs, and other injury-related expenses. If a victim does not survive their injuries, funeral expenses may also be taken into account and awarded by a court to the family members of victims. An experienced crime victim attorney will be able to analyze a case and determine all of the options for compensation,” Kent explained.
If you were the victim of a crime of similar nature, contact our office for more information on all of your legal options today.