Lawsuit filed on behalf of children of 2020 shooting victim
A lawsuit has been filed against Westfield Century City on behalf of the three children of a 2020 wrongful death shooting victim.
On March 30, M.R. Parker Law, a Los Angeles firm specializing in wrongful death and personal injury cases, filed a lawsuit in the case of Ryan Givens, a 29-year-old Los Angeles resident killed at the Century City Mall after an altercation at Javier’s restaurant.
The firm brought the lawsuit on behalf of Given’s three children.
The lawsuit alleges all of the following: On January 20th, 2020, Givens attended a social gathering at the restaurant Javier’s in Century City. After an altercation ensued within Javier’s between members of Given’s party and the suspected shooter, Brandon Hinton, and his party, a further melee spilled outside the restaurant. At some point during the on-going fights, Hinton brandished a firearm and began to chase Givens around the Century City Mall, firing recklessly until he struck Givens multiple times. Givens was taken to a local hospital where he passed from his injuries.
The case alleges that the defendants, Century City Mall, LLC, Marcos and Javiers LLC, provided substandard safe access to their property and services to the decedent. The allegation continues that the defendants were negligent in their handling of the situation by not calling the police during the initial altercation, nor separating the parties and escorting them to separate locations off the premises. The lawsuit further alleges that given the severity of the initial altercation and the reasonable belief that high levels of alcohol were involved, the defendants had a reasonable assumption that a further altercation and potential escalation would occur had the two parties not been separated.
Michael Parker, managing attorney at M.R. Parker commented, “Had the defendants established precautionary measures for such events, Ryan Givens may be alive today.” Michael continued, “Police should have been called while the two parties were still inside Javier’s and onsite security should have immediately separated the two groups and ensured they both left the premise independent of each other.”
M.R. Parker’s lead trial attorney, Kenneth Shy added, “The defendants owe a duty to secure common areas against foreseeable criminal acts, and that did not happen here. Our firm is committed to holding them accountable to the fullest extent of the law and getting justice for the children of Mr. Givens.”
Westfield Century City and Javier’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
