Attorney Matt Morgan of Morgan & Morgan said Tuesday the law firm plans to file lawsuits this week on behalf of people who were wounded by gunfire during a video game tournament Sunday at the Jacksonville Landing.
“Every time there’s a mass shooting in Florida, we get calls. This is the first time we’re getting involved,” he said.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, David Katz, 24, was an entrant in the “Madden NFL 19” video game competition at the GLHF Game Bar inside Chicago Pizza on Sunday afternoon. He allegedly shot and killed two people and wounded 10 others before killing himself.
Morgan said the firm will not identify plaintiffs by name or identify defendants until a complaint is filed with the court.
Morgan said one of the victims who has retained the firm was “shot multiple times” and “we are going to consider any and all viable defendants.”
He did, however, comment on the framework of the impending negligent security litigation.
“This is not a time for bare bones security or even worse, no security at all. This is a time for business owners, the police, and for event organizers to provide the highest level of security,” Morgan said.
Morgan said eSports is “almost a billion-dollar industry.“
“There is a lot of money on the line. Tensions run high at these events. This community knows that security at these events is a paramount concern.”
He said it is time for business owners and event organizers to provide a safe environment.
“They do so by conducting a thorough analysis of the surrounding area, assessing the likelihood of a serious crime – a shooting – and then putting in the proper safety measures and procedures to ensure that people that visit their business or attend their events are going to be safe. That is a duty under the law,” said Morgan.
He cited the January 2017 shooting at the Landing and a bullet hole found in a window two weeks ago at SunTrust Tower across the street from the Landing, where Morgan & Morgan’s Jacksonville office is located, as indications that the area is prone to gun violence.
“It is foreseeable that shootings could occur at this particular location, given the history that we know,” Morgan said.
“The best way to deter a future tragedy from occurring is to highlight where certain things were done wrong in a tragedy so that other business owners and event organizers can learn from mistakes that may have been made,” he added.