According to NorthJersey.com, a 24-year-old man was stabbed around 8 p.m. on Sunday while walking down Paterson’s 21st Avenue commercial strip. Several men in a black SUV with a North Carolina license plate pulled up near the Banana King restaurant, stabbed the victim, and then drove away. The victim’s injuries are not-life-threatening.
At this time, the police are still investigating the case and trying to find out what caused the attack.
Only 18 hours before Sunday’s attack, another man was injured on the 21st Avenue commercial strip. Outside the Tio Gowon Bar – which is roughly 6 blocks from Banana King – this man sustained severe injuries from attackers. Furthermore, NorthJersey.com reports that on June 30 another victim was stabbed on 21st avenue by unidentified men who jumped out of a vehicle. All three attacks are in relatively close walking distance to each other.
The police are working to determine whether or not these attacks are connected.
Guy D'Andrea is an attorney contributor who represents victims of preventable and violent crimes in civil lawsuits. He has agreed to lend his professional advice here.
Essentially, commercial property owners are required by law to protect people on their premises. They must be able to provide 1) adequate security in order to 2) prevent any reasonably foreseeable harm. If one of these two requirements is not met, a property owner may be held liable for a violent crime.
Restaurant shootings are a complicated matter altogether. Every case is different, but let’s say a restaurant owner failed to provide adequate security (no video surveillance) and ignored warning signs in the area (previous shootings), and then someone is killed outside the restaurant. The owner may be held liable for the violent crime inflicted upon the victim because the security measures taken were inadequate and the attack on the victim was reasonably foreseeable given the area’s history.
If you or anyone close to you has been affected by a restaurant shooting, it is important to reach out to an experienced crime victim lawyer to weigh all legal options.