Survivors of the July 28 mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival are filing a lawsuit this week claiming "negligent security measures" led to the shooting that killed three and injured 14 others.
A press conference is set for 11 a.m. at the Hilton Hotel in San Francisco with victims' lawyers from the SF-based Scarlett Law Group. And as the Mercury News reports, news of the civil lawsuit first arrived Monday night. The suit names the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association as the defendant, and it's not yet known what damages the plaintiffs are seeking.
The man responsible for the shooting was 19-year-old Santino William Legan, who arrived late on the final day of the festival and gained access to the grounds at Christmas Hill Park by cutting a hole in a perimeter fence. Legan's motives remain unclear, but federal investigators say they found a list of targets among Legan's possessions that was a bizarre laundry list of religious and civic buildings, cultural institutions, and the annual garlic festival. Witnesses say Legan shouted "I'm really angry" when someone asked him in the midst of the of shooting why he was doing this. Legan took his own life as Gilroy police began firing at him.
The shooting took the lives of three young people: 6-year-old Stephen Romero, 13-year-old Keyla Salazar, and 25-year-old Trevor Irby.
On the festival website, organizers say they plan to hold next year's festival, the 42nd annual, as they always have. "We are united in honoring those whose lives were lost and forever changed by the tragedy on July 28, 2019. We are deeply grateful for the ongoing support of our volunteers, vendors, and visitors... With your help, we can continue our mission of providing vital funding support for over 140 local charities and non-profit organizations — while celebrating all that is good in our community."
Related: FBI Finds More ‘Extremist Materials’ As Police Search For Motive In Gilroy Garlic Festival Shooting
Photo: Gilroy Garlic Festival/Facebook