Second Willies Bar and Grill mass shooting victim files suit

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Sundeya Clark is suing Willie’s Bar and Grill for multiple counts of negligence, claiming the bar created an unsafe environment that contributed to a mass shooting in October that left four people dead and more than a dozen others hurt.

Clark, one of several dozen victims, is seeking compensation for more than 10 injuries she said she suffered in the shooting.

Clark’s lawsuit claims the bar and its staff overserved the alleged gunman, Anferny Freeman, did nothing to prevent the shooting, and created and maintained a dangerous environment — allegations the lawsuit says violate South Carolina laws.

Bar owner disputes allegations

Bar owner Willie Turral responded to the lawsuit in a written statement, saying:

“I am aware of the recently filed lawsuit and strongly dispute several of the allegations contained within it. In particular, any suggestion that I personally served or provided alcohol to the individual responsible for the shooting is demonstrably false. That individual was never served by me or by my staff. The event in question was a privately promoted rental event. The venue was leased to independent promoters who organized, advertised, and managed entry for the event. Those individuals are in a better position to answer questions regarding attendance and guest control. Out of respect for the ongoing legal proceedings and for those impacted by the tragic events of that evening, I will allow the court process to address the claims made. I remain confident that the facts will ultimately be made clear through proper legal review.”

Attorneys weigh in on case

Criminal defense attorney Skye Musson said the case has many factors to consider but believes Clark may have the upper hand with a jury trial.

“You’ve got injuries, and you’ve got medical bills, and you’ve got other things that these plaintiffs or the victims are going to try and recover,” Musson said. “And while the state sometimes does offer, depending on the state and depending on the county, some victim’s assistance, a lot of times it won’t necessarily cover the totality of the medical bills.”

Musson said the bar’s defense will look to argue that they did have security for the event and couldn’t foresee that extreme event to happen.

“If there’s nothing that alerted them that he was a high-risk concern, they’re going to probably make the argument that we had adequate security. There was somebody here that night. We were making our best effort attempt,” Musson said.

Musson also noted, how she thinks a jury will look at the trial

“You just have the sheer shock value of the incident and how it’s going to play out in front of a jury, and it’s going to take very skillful lawyering to undo just that initial impression that a juror may get from opening statements or from the complaint,” she said.

Key legal hurdle: Freeman left and returned

Musson identified what she called the lawsuit’s biggest weakness — the fact that Freeman reportedly left the bar before returning and opening fire.

“If I had to pick an Achilles heel of the lawsuit, it’s that he actually left the bar and came back. So that would be the one thing that I think is going to be the biggest issue for the plaintiffs to overcome,” Musson said.

Despite the bar owner’s denial of serving Freeman, Musson said the lawsuit is not without merit.

“I do think it will make it a harder lawsuit to win if they did not serve him, but it doesn’t make it necessarily impossible,” Musson said.

Musson said a case like this could take years to resolve and will most likely follow the criminal trial, which could help the plaintiff’s lawyer Jason Daigle gather a better picture of exactly what lead to the shooting.

Musson also said the pool of money can’t get bigger for the plaintiff, so the best outcome for all parties is to resolve this in litigation.

Clark’s attorney Jason Daigle, Morgan and Morgan founder made a statement in reference to the case:

“Willie’s Bar and Grill had a clear legal and moral duty: to serve responsibly and cut off a visibly intoxicated patron. By allegedly ignoring this standard, Willie’s allegedly exposed the public to unreasonable risk that led to the death of four people and injuries to several others. Our client is seeking justice for what she’s been through and demanding accountability for a tragedy that we allege was preventable.”

For more coverage on this case, visit our previous coverage here.