Three students who were injured on campus during the Dec. 13 shooting are suing the University in three separate lawsuits over security failures, citing inadequate security measures and a failure to act on repeated warnings about the shooter’s suspicious behavior.
“Brown’s conduct, as alleged herein, was so willful, reckless and wicked as to amount to criminality, which, for the good of society and as a warning to Brown, ought to be punished by an award of punitive damages over and above that provided in an award of compensatory damages,” one of the complaints reads.
All three lawsuits were filed last Thursday in Rhode Island Superior Court, and the students are seeking more than $10,000 in damages each for medical expenses as well as physical and mental distress. The students were not identified in the documents, and were referred to as “J. Doe No. 1, 2 and 3.”
According to University Spokesperson Brian Clark, “Brown is reviewing the complaints carefully and promptly.”
“Out of respect for the privacy interests of the plaintiffs, we have no details to share on the merits of the litigation at this time,” Clark wrote in an email to The Herald. “We will respond as appropriate through the legal process.”
This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.
Roma Shah is a section editor covering University Hall & Higher Education and Admissions & Financial Aid. She's a sophomore from Morgan Hill, CA studying neuroscience. In her free time, she can be found doing puzzles, hiking or curled up with a book.
