Thousands of victims of the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas are being sued by the corporate entity who may be held responsible for the tragedy. MGM Resorts International is taking such legal action in an attempt to distance themselves from liability issues. The owners of Mandalay Bay Hotel refuse to accept any claims of responsibility after the gunman rented one of their rooms and opened fire on music festival attendees. They maintain that such claims should be "dismissed."
Hundreds of lawsuits were filed against the company. Many believe the company failed to keep their location secured given the fact that the gunman was able to enter their building with an array of firearms and ammunition. More than 58 people died as a result of the shooting and over 850 people were injured.
Robert Eglet, a Las Vegas Attorney who is working with many of the victims, believes the company's filing of lawsuits is a way for them to choose a judge of their liking: "I’ve never seen a more outrageous thing, where they sue the victims in an effort to find a judge they like."
Debra DeShong, the spokesperson for MGM, shared a statement.
“The unforeseeable events of October 1 affected thousands of people in Las Vegas and throughout North America. From the day of this tragedy, we have focused on the recovery of those impacted by the despicable act of one evil individual. While we expected the litigation that followed, we also feel strongly that victims and the community should be able to recover and find resolution in a timely manner. Congress provided that the Federal Courts were the correct place for such litigation relating to incidents of mass violence like this one where security services approved by the Department of Homeland Security were provided. The Federal Court is an appropriate venue for these cases and provides those affected with the opportunity for a timely resolution. Years of drawn-out litigation and hearings are not in the best interest of victims, the community and those still healing.”
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