Court Rules Shooting Victim Can Sue Indiana District
Victims claim district knew about threat and should have done more to prevent shooting.
INDIANAPOLIS – A panel of judges reaffirmed a lower court’s ruling that two victims of a 2011 middle school shooting can sue the district.
The incident occurred March 25, 2011 in the vestibule of Martinsville West Middle School. Chance Jackson was shot twice in the stomach and spent a month in the hospital, reports WBIW. A classmate of his, Brandon Kent, was also shot.
The victims’ families claim the Metropolitan School District of Martinsville knew that the shooter, 15-year-old Michael Phelps, posed a threat and should have done more to prevent the incident. Jackson’s attorney claims the school did not carry out its security plan properly.
The lawyer also says that Jackson knew of the threat by Phelps but did not report it to school officials.
Phelps was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being convicted of attempted murder.
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