Topline:
The parents of two Saugus High School students who were shot and killed on campus in 2019 are suing the school district for $50 million.
What they allege: The parents of the slain students, Dominic Blackwell, 14, and Gracie Muehlberger, 15, believe their deaths were preventable, according to court records filed this week. They cite a text-to-tip hotline where students could report concerns about their classmates, that their attorney says wasn’t working at the time. Also: the lawsuit says campus supervisors who were supposed to be monitoring the front gates that morning weren’t there, and neither was the L.A. Sheriff's Department deputy student resource officer.
What's next: The case is set to go to trial on Oct. 30, but the families's attorney believes it will be pushed to January 2024.
The parents of two Saugus High School students who were shot and killed on campus in 2019 are suing the school district for $50 million.
What's in the lawsuit
Dominic Blackwell, 14, and Gracie Muehlberger, 15, were killed by a classmate. Their parents, Frank and Nancy Blackwell and Bryan and Cindy Muehlberger, believe their deaths were preventable, according to court records filed this week.
Julie Feber is the Muehlberger’s attorney. She said both families think Saugus High School, and the William S. Hart Union High School District, didn’t do enough to prevent the school shooting.
“They knew it was coming, but they just hadn’t prepared,” Feber said.
Saugus High School had a text-to-tip hotline where students could report concerns about their classmates, but Feber said the number wasn’t working at the time. She said the campus supervisors who were supposed to be monitoring the front gates that morning weren’t there, and neither was the L.A. Sheriff's Department deputy student resource officer.
The backstory
Blackwell and Muehlberger were killed and three more students were injured when a Saugus High School junior opened fire on campus on Nov. 14, 2019.
The shooter, a 16-year-old boy, was among the wounded students found when authorities arrived at the school. He died the next day from a self-inflicted head wound. L.A. County sheriff's officials at the time of the shooting said that the attack was planned and deliberate. They also said the victims appeared to be randomly targeted.
What the district says
Dominic Quiller represents the William S. Hart Union High School District. In a statement to LAist he said:
"The Hart District has always, and will continue to, offer our support to the Blackwell and Muehlberger families. The District, however, believes that it took all necessary steps to protect its students."
What's next
The case is set to go to trial on Oct. 30, but Feber believes it will be pushed to January 2024.
Go deeper: …to learn more about the shooting
