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dad sues gun range over murder-suicide
Published Jul. 2, 2009Views: 506
Father Claims Shoot Straight Failed To Protect Son From Ex-Wife
CASSELBERRY, Fla. -- The father of a man killed by his own mother during a murder-suicide at a gun range filed a lawsuit Friday against the range.
Marvin Moore said Shoot Straight didn't do enough to protect his son from his unstable mother.
He said he believes that if the gun range would have checked Marie Moore's mental health history before allowing her to rent a gun, friends and family would be celebrating Mitchell Moore's 21st birthday in a couple weeks and not mourning at his visitation Friday night.
Friends of Mitchell Moore's family feel the 20-year-old's death didn't have to happen. Police said he was murdered at the hands of his mother before she turned the gun on herself during their target practice at the Casselberry Shoot Straight April 5.
Loved ones, like James Coffman, said they blame the gun range for overlooking some warning signs.
"She tried to commit suicide at Shoot Straight a couple years ago," Coffman said.
Marvin Moore told police he thought his ex-wife was barred from the range because of a suicide attempt there. He has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.
He didn't want to talk after his son's visitation Friday, but he said in the suit that Shoot Straight didn't check into Marie Moore's mental health history and didn't adequately supervise the range, creating an unreasonably dangerous condition there.
"I think the computer should have started smoking when they put her name into it," Coffman said.
But both Casselberry and Apopka police said there's no record that Marie Moore tried to kill herself at Shoot Straight before. The range won't talk about the lawsuit but has said it couldn't have stopped this.
"This lady was intent on doing what she did," said Larry Anderson, of Shoot Straight.
An attorney told WESH 2 News that even if Shoot Straight wanted to do background checks, it's against the law for privacy reasons.
Mitchell Moore's funeral is Saturday at noon at Central Baptist Church in Sanford.
http://www.wesh.com/news/19208565/detail.html
** Do you think they should do background check or mental history check before you are allowed to shoot at gun ranges. There are several stories that have happened just this year of people commiting suicide at gun ranges. Would this type of background check help or is it all protected by the privacy act?**
Filed under: Crime
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No. Think of it this way, if you let someone borrow your car and they get in a wreck and kill someone, they are on the hook not you. Now, if you knew your friends' license was expired and he always got drunk before he drove then maybe you could be held liable.
In the gun situation, if you knew your friend had mental problems then maybe. Definitely liable if your friend was a minor.
July 2, 2009 2:19 p.m.
So long as they do the same background check or mental history check before you are allowed to drive a car on the road.
GOLO member since November 29, 2007
July 2, 2009 2:17 p.m.
GOLO member since August 16, 2007
July 2, 2009 2:16 p.m.
GOLO member since January 20, 2008
July 2, 2009 2:12 p.m.
GOLO member since September 17, 2007
July 2, 2009 2:12 p.m.
But on a different note...if she was that unstable, perhaps the shooting range should be sueing the family. After all, they KNEW she was unstable and had tried to kill herself at one of these ranges before. Why didn't THEY keep a better eye on her. And if it's all true, why on earth would you meet your mentally unstable suicidal mother at a gun range? Who is REALLY liable here?
GOLO member since July 28, 2007
July 2, 2009 2:09 p.m.
LOL @ Lightfoot. Sometimes, I do wonder about the people that post on this board.
GOLO member since July 3, 2007
July 2, 2009 2:08 p.m.
Didn't some guy in Florida do this a few months back...I think his wife or ex wife killed at a shooting range and went down the highway...police chase???
GOLO member since September 17, 2007
July 2, 2009 2:07 p.m.
But it does bring up an interesting point. What if I let someone borrow my gun to shoot? Am I liable if they open up on someone? I must say, if I’m at a gun range, I don’t want to have to worry that the guy shooting in the lane beside me is suicidal or whacky. Maybe there should be some kind of background check if you want to rent.
GOLO member since August 16, 2007
July 2, 2009 2:04 p.m.
GOLO member since January 18, 2008
July 2, 2009 2:03 p.m.
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