Indianapolis, Indiana — Next week, the Indiana Court of Appeals is set to review a pivotal case involving Simon Property Group and Allied Universal Security Services, stirring ongoing legal debates over their liability in a mass shooting event that took place at Greenwood Park Mall in 2022. Grounding the legal action are claims of negligence following an incident where three people were killed and several others, including Kaya Stewart, were severely injured.
Stewart’s lawsuit alleges that both the mall owner, Simon Property Group, and the security provider, Allied Universal Security Services, failed to offer adequate security measures that could possibly have prevented Jonathan Sapirman’s deadly attack during which he took three lives before being stopped by an armed civilian.
This case at the appellate level follows a prior decision by the Marion Superior Court, which denied Simon’s initial motion to dismiss the allegations. Simon Property Group maintains that such violent incidents, like mass shootings, are inherently unpredictable and argue this releases them from fault under negligence claims. Similarly, Allied Universal Security Services supports this stance by claiming the shooting was not a foreseeable event.
The proceedings, earmarked for April 23, promise attention as they convene in the Indiana Statehouse’s Court of Appeals Courtroom, under scrutiny from Chief Judge Robert Altice, alongside Judges Elaine Brown and Elizabeth Tavitas.
The case, formally known as Simon Property Group, et al. v. P.R. Stewart, et al., is currently at the forefront of a series of legal challenges facing the corporate entities. Collaterally, two other lawsuits remain paused pending the outcome of this appeal. These actions were initiated by survivors and families of victims from the same shooting episode at Greenwood Park Mall’s food court on July 17, 2022.
Given the multiple parties involved and the complex issues of law and foreseeability, the outcome of this case could influence how safety and responsibility are legislated and enforced in shopping centers and similar public venues nationwide.
Moreover, these proceedings may set a significant legal precedent for the accountability of mall owners and security services in unforeseen violent incidents, potentially reshaping operational protocols and security standards across the retail industry.
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