Suit against U.S. cites wrongful death of woman in Navy Yard shooting TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 8 (UPI) -- The Florida sister of a woman killed in the September shooting rampage at the Washington Navy Yard plans to seek damages in her death, a lawyer said Friday. Sidney Matthew said Patricia DeLorenzo of Tampa intends to seek $37.5 million from the federal government for the wrongful death of her sister, Mary Francis DeLorenzo Knight, The Tampa Bay Times reported. Matthew said an administrative claim had been filed against the U.S. Navy and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The administrative claim is the first step required to file a lawsuit against the federal government. The suit alleges the Navy was negligent in allowing the shooter, Aaron Alexis, to maintain his security clearance that permitted him to enter the Navy Yard Sept. The 34-year-old man's history of mental illness, gun violence and threats of violence should have been enough to prevent the Navy from allowing him into the facility, Matthew said. Knight, one of 12 people killed by Alexis, was a naval cybersecurity specialist.