A lawsuit has been filed against a popular music venue in New York City for negligent security after several bystanders were injured in the rush to escape a gunfight that left one person dead and three others injured, including a well known rapper.
Gunfight Breaks Out Before T.I. Concert
The incident occurred at the T.I. concert on May 25, 2016, in Manhattan, New York, at the Irving Plaza concert venue. Before the show began, an altercation broke out backstage between local Brooklyn rapper Troy Ave and his entourage, and several others. Unfortunately, the fight escalated until guns were pulled out and shots were fired. Multiple people were hit, one fatally, before the firefight went beyond the green room and into the venue’s hallways.
Stampede to Get Away Injures More
While the gunfight was going on inside the venue, the sounds of shots being fired caused alarm outside. When people rushed out of the building to get away, the alarm turned into panic. The stampede to get away from the scene only resulted in more injuries: Two people were trampled during the exodus, and suffered significant injuries.
Trampled Concertgoers Sue Venue for Negligent Security
Now, those two concertgoers have sued the venue, as well as the venue’s owner, a company called Live Nation, for their injuries. Their claim is based on the idea of negligent security, which holds property owners accountable for failing to keep their premises safe.
The core piece of the lawsuit filed by the injured bystanders is that Live Nation and its Irving Plaza venue could have taken reasonable steps to prevent guns from entering the building, and that their unwillingness to take these steps resulted in the gunfight, hurried exodus from the building, and their injuries.
Negligent security cases are a big part of premises liability law. Premises liability focuses on the duty of a property owner to take reasonable measures to fix hazardous conditions on the property, or to warn people about what to look out for so they do not get hurt. Negligent security deals with the responsibility of the property owner – often apartment complexes or hotels, but also concert venues or even restaurants – to take reasonable precautions to ensure that their patrons are kept safe while they are on the property.
Cobb County Attorney Joel Williams Handles Negligent Security Cases
If you or someone you love has been injured while on someone else’s property because of the actions of a third party, you might be able to get compensation for your injuries from the property owner or manager. This can be especially valuable if the person who hurt you cannot be found, or does not have the means to give you the compensation that you deserve.
Contact Williams Elleby Howard & Easter today to talk about your case and explore your legal options if you have been injured by someone else and you think the property owner could have taken steps to prevent it from happening.