Fasig | Brooks Law Offices announced today that attorneys Ryan Molaghan and Dan Hogan have filed a civil lawsuit on behalf of the family of Khali Knight, a 23-year-old U.S. Army veteran who was fatally shot on July 17, 2024, at the ReNew Tallahassee apartments in Tallahassee, Florida. The lawsuit, filed in Leon County Circuit Court, names the owner/operator VA8 Seminole Grand, LLC d/b/a ReNew Tallahassee, property management company Trinity Property Consultants, LLC, and private security company Norwood Holdings, LLC d/b/a Signal of Central Tallahassee as defendants.
The complaint alleges that the defendants were negligent in their duty to provide adequate security measures for residents and guests. Despite a documented history of prior shooting incidents and violent crimes on and around the premises, the property owner, management company, and security company failed to implement reasonable safeguards. The lawsuit alleges failures including inadequate lighting, insufficient security patrols, lack of proper access controls, and failure to respond to known patterns of violent criminal activity.
“Khali Knight’s untimely death was entirely preventable,” said Attorney Ryan Molaghan. “The site of this senseless shooting has been a hotbed for serious violent crime, including several shooting deaths, for years and years.” The perpetrator, who resided at ReNew Tallahassee at the time, pleaded guilty to federal gun and drug offenses related to Knight's murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. However, Attorneys Molaghan and Hogan emphasized that the civil case seeks to hold those accountable whose negligence created dangerous conditions.
“A criminal conviction of the shooter does not absolve those who failed to prevent the violence from being held accountable,” Molaghan stated. “Property owners and management companies, as well as security companies, have a legal obligation to keep people lawfully on the property safe. When they neglect their obligation, it’s time for them to feel the full weight of the law.” The case highlights the legal duty of property owners and security firms to address foreseeable risks, particularly at locations with a history of violent crime.
