Death – Obituary – Accident and Crime News : A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by the loved ones of three Black individuals who were tragically killed in a racially-motivated shooting at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida in August. The lawsuit accuses the discount chain store and the gunman’s parents of negligence, claiming that they failed to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of customers and employees.
The lawsuit, filed in a Florida court, specifically accuses Dollar General of prioritizing profits over people by not having a security guard on the premises at the time of the shooting. Civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump, who is representing the relatives of the victims, stated during a news conference that Dollar General has “blood on your hands” and that the presence of a security guard could have made a significant difference in preventing the tragedy.
The lawsuit names Dollar General, its subsidiaries, and the security company it contracted, as well as the parents of the suspected gunman, Maryann and Stephen Palmeter, as defendants. It alleges that Dollar General failed to provide adequate security at the store, despite it being located in a high-crime area. The lawsuit also accuses Palmeter’s parents of failing to protect the public from their son’s foreseeable criminal acts.
The shooting took place on August 26, 2023, when the gunman, Ryan Christopher Palmeter, went on a killing spree at the Dollar General store. He was armed with a Glock handgun and an AR-15-style weapon marked with a swastika. Palmeter targeted innocent victims at random, resulting in the deaths of Jerrald De’Shaun Gallion, Angela Michelle Carr, and Anolt Joseph “AJ” Laguerre Jr., who worked at the store as a clerk. Palmeter died by suicide as police responded to the scene.
Law enforcement officials described the shooting as racially motivated, and they found offensive and hateful writings in Palmeter’s possession and at his home. The lawsuit alleges that Palmeter had previously intended to attack a different store and a historically Black college but was deterred by the presence of a security guard.
The relatives of the victims hope that this lawsuit will bring about change in Dollar General’s security practices. The tragedy at Dollar General bears similarities to a previous shooting at a Tops grocery store in Buffalo, New York, where an armed security guard was killed while confronting the gunman. However, no lawsuits were filed against Tops in that case.
The lawsuit alleges that Dollar General was aware of the high crime rates in the area and had been warned about previous criminal acts in and around the store. It accuses the retailer of negligence for not implementing proper security measures, which created an attractive location for criminal activity.
Additionally, the lawsuit holds Palmeter’s parents accountable for allegedly failing to take action to protect the general public from their son, despite knowing about his mental health issues and obsession with firearms. The lawsuit includes photos of Palmeter’s room, which show prescription drugs, alcohol, and books on guns in plain view.
Dollar General has not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched an investigation into the safety protocols and procedures at Dollar General in the aftermath of the shooting. The investigation is ongoing.