COLORADO SPRINGS — The family of a teen left paralyzed from a shooting in a Citadel Mall parking lot last year is suing the owners of the mall, citing inadequate security measures were in place at the location.
According to Colorado Springs Police, two people were shot during an argument at the mall on May 22, 2022. Makayla Anderson’s family says she was an innocent bystander when she was shot in the chest.
Makayla’s family attorneys say she remains paralyzed from the waist down and also lost partial use of her arm. As a result of her injuries, she had to undergo multiple surgeries. The attorneys say she now requires “around-the-clock medical care.”
The other person hit by gunfire was a juvenile male, who survived their wounds but was arrested on two counts of attempted first-degree murder for a shooting that wounded two people near Mitchell High School a few weeks prior.
The lawsuit accuses Citadel Mall of “woefully inadequate security considering the previous multiple shootings at their same location.” The attorneys claim this was the sixth shooting at the mall since 2016, and that there have been more since 2022.
The lawsuit claims the owners of the Citadel Mall, failed to protect the plaintiff by not providing adequately trained security personnel, not maintaining security cameras, improperly placing security cameras, and failing to maintain a security plan. The mall is owned by several groups, outlined in the filing as Citadel Mall Realty, LLC, Mason Asset Management, Inc, Namdar Capital Group, LLC, and Namdar Realty Group, LLC.
There isn’t a specified amount of damages sought in the lawsuit. However, the suit is seeking, “damages for loss of enjoyment of life, both past and future; medical and medical related expenses, both past and future; travel and travel-related expenses, past and future; emotional distress and future emotional distress; pharmaceutical expenses, past and future; and all other ordinary, incidental, and consequential damages as would be anticipated to arise under the circumstances.”
News5 reached out to Mason Asset Management and Namdar Realty Group for comment, the owners and operators of The Citadel Mall.
"Our team continues to extend our thoughts and prayers to the Anderson family in the wake of the tragic events that took place last May. Makayla is yet another victim of senseless gun violence across communities all around the United States, and it is our hope that she and her family can find peace and continue recovery during this difficult time", said Michael Czerepka Associate Communications Director for the two groups. "As this litigation is ongoing, our team isn’t able to comment regarding the lawsuit.”
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As News5 reported earlier this month, the latest data from the Colorado Springs Police Department show calls for service to the area near the mall were up by 60% from 2021 to 2022. The numbers show last year the area had more than double the calls than the Chapel Hills Mall off of North Academy Boulevard and almost four times as many as The Promenade Shops At Briargate.
The majority of calls to the Citadel Mall from 2021 to 2022 were for shoplifting. Also included on the list were 24 calls for aggravated assault, 33 calls for motor vehicle theft, 11 weapons law violations, and seven calls for kidnapping/abduction.
KOAA requested the calls for service after a police chase inside the mall ended in the death of a 19-year-old man by suicide.
According to police, officers located a wanted suspect, Brandon Harris, and several juveniles in two stolen cars in the mall parking lot. Police said they were later set up to make an arrest as the group left the food court.
Four people were arrested as they exited the mall, but the adult male suspect ran into Burlington Coat Factory. CSPD said the suspect was armed with a gun and fired one shot.
Attached here is the complete list of calls for service to the Citadel Mall over the last two years from the Colorado Springs Police Department.
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