Gilroy braces for lawsuits after festival shooting, holds closed-door council meeting
The Gilroy City Council held a special meeting Saturday morning to talk about the city's "significant exposure to litigation" after the shooting.
Gilroy braces for lawsuits after festival shooting, holds closed-door council meeting The Gilroy City Council held a special meeting Saturday morning to talk about the city's "significant exposure to litigation" after the shooting. Check out this story on thecalifornian.com: https://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/2019/08/03/gilroy-braces-lawsuits-garlic-festival-shooting-injuries-deaths-santino-legan/1913167001/
Damon Arthur, Salinas Californian Published 6:48 p.m. PT Aug. 3, 2019
The Gilroy City Council met in closed session Saturday morning to discuss the city's "significant exposure to litigation" as a result of the shooting during the Gilroy Garlic Festival. (Photo: Damon Arthur/ The Salinas Californian)
Less than a week after four people died and 16 people were injured during a shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, local officials were dealing with fallout they expect to hit the city sometime in the near future.
The Gilroy City Council held a special meeting Saturday morning to talk about the city's "significant exposure to litigation" as a result of the shooting.
City Attorney Andy Faber said the city had not been sued, but he felt there was cause to be concerned about the city's legal liability.
"There have been enough materials to suggest to us" that there is concern over being sued, Faber said.
While the city does not sponsor the annual Garlic Festival, it is held at the city-owned Christmas Hill Park, he said.
"In the event of litigation, the city could be drawn in," said Faber. He declined to say who, if anyone, had threatened litigation or how.
He did, however, say he was not surprised at the latest development arising from the shooting Sunday, July 28.
Police believe a lone gunman, 19-year-old Santino William Legan, cut through a fence surrounding the park where the annual event is held. He then opened fire with an AK-47 assault rifle on the crowd before turning the gun on himself. He was also wounded by police gunfire within a minute of beginning his rampage.
An officer monitors a closure at the corner of Santa Teresa Boulevard and Miller Avenue in Gilroy on Saturday. The area remains closed while law enforcement investigates the shooting Sunday, July 28 at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. (Photo: Damon Arthur/The Salinas Californian)
Six-year-old Stephen Romero, 13-year-old Keyla Salazar and 25-year-old Trevor Irby all died as a result of their gunshot wounds from the festival. Sixteen others were wounded, police have said.
Six days removed from the shooting, all seven members of the council met briefly in open session before Mayor Roland Velasco announced that the council planned to meet behind closed doors to discuss possible litigation.
It was not clear whether the city made any decisions during closed session. Neither Mayor Velasco nor Faber could be reached Saturday afternoon.
Also attending the closed session discussions was Erwin Chang, manager of the Municipal Pooling Authority, which provides insurance for the city, as well as 19 other cities.
While the council discussed the legal ramifications of the shooting, law enforcement continued to investigate the incident and will continue to do so "for the foreseeable future," said Gilroy Police Capt. Joseph Deras.
Kimberly Thompson (center) provides medical aid to gunshot victim at the Gilroy Garlic Festival Sunday. (Photo: PROVIDED/John "JB JB" Banuelos video screenshot)
The area of Christmas Hill Park where the shooting occurred remained closed Saturday. Streets leading to the area were also closed, with police officers monitoring the road closures.
Santa Teresa Boulevard at Miller Avenue was closed to vehicles and pedestrians, and Uvas Parkway at Miller Avenue was also closed.
"The streets remain closed because we have determined this is the safest way for us to operate in this large open space area to maintain security in and around the crime scene," Deras said.
Contact reporter Damon Arthur at 530-225-8226 and damon.arthur@redding.com. Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today!
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