The Legal Herald
Christopher Butler, Seth McDermit Identified as Victims in Fatal McKees Rocks, PA Nightclub Shooting. (TribLive.com)
Could the shooting outside a McKees Rocks nightclub have been prevented and are justice and compensation available to the victims families and other injured victims? Read Our Legal Take below to find out what legal options are available.
Local News
Update: According to WPXI.com, the two men killed in a McKees Rocks, PA nightclub shooting “were identified as Christopher Butler, 22, and Seth McDermit, 31.”
Gunfire rang out outside a McKees Rocks, PA nightclub early Friday morning, January 29, 2021, leaving two people dead and three other person injured.
As reported by TribLive.com, “[t]he shooting happened just after 2:30 a.m. in the 800 block of Island Avenue, and investigators remained on scene for more than five hours, working in and around Club Erotica.”
Post-Gazette.com is reporting, “[l]ocal police and medics responding to the scene found five victims suffering from gunshot wounds outside the club. Two men were pronounced dead at the scene…Three other people were transported to a local hospital.” According to the report, “[p]olice found multiple gunshot casings in the parking lot” outside the club.
The investigation is ongoing.
Our Legal Take
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Nightclub patrons have a right to feel safe and secure while on the premises they are visiting. The level of security provided at the property is of significance, and is a relevant consideration when analyzing whether this shooting may have been prevented. The following questions are also important in assessing whether this incident may have been avoided:
- Have prior incidents of violence been reported on or near the property?
- What security measures, such as bright lighting, visible surveillance cameras, and security personnel, were in place to deter crime and protect the victim at the time of the shooting?
- Was the nightclub aware of any suspicious activity prior to the shooting?
- Does the nightclub check guests for dangerous weapons prior to entering the establishment?
- Was the nightclub allowed to be open under current coronavirus pandemic restrictions?
Property owners are generally required to protect against foreseeable harm to anyone and everyone legally on the premises. Should the investigation into this incident reveal facts that establish that the nightclub owner or management lacked adequate security to protect its visitors, the families of the Christopher Butler and Seth McDermit may seek justice and elect to pursue legal claims and substantial compensation for their loss. In addition, any injured victims may seek justice and elect to pursue legal claims and substantial compensation for their injuries.
The Murray Law Firm has extensive and successful experience in handling security negligence claims on behalf of victims and their families, and suggests that an immediate, unbiased inspection of the property will need to be performed so as to limit evidence from being altered, damaged or destroyed. The complexities of pursuing a negligent security case are well understood by the legal team at The Murray Law Firm, and it is imperative that the families of the Christopher Butler and Seth McDermit and any injured victims retain a capable law firm who will work without delay to protect their interests.
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