TAFT, CA - A local attorney filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Taft Union High School District following the school shooting earlier this year.
Attorney Daniel Rodriguez filed the suit on behalf of his client Bowe Cleveland, who was shot during science class at Taft Union High School in January.
Rodriguez says Cleveland has been back and forth between the hospital and doctors since the shooting and he is going to need medical care for the rest of his life because of his injuries.
Rodriguez claims the district knew Cleveland and others were targeted on a hit list by accused shooter Bryan Oliver, and failed to protect their students.
"People out in the Taft community, they have told us this hit list was out a year before. If that's the case, we want to know did the school district call the family and ask if there was a gun? If the school district has a zero tolerance policy for violence, which they say they do, why didn't they kick this student out of class, get him help or whatever they needed to do?," said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez says the district should have informed the parents of students who were targeted on that list.
Several students contend Oliver had been bullied by Cleveland and another student who also was shot.
Rodriguez says another issue is that the school's security officer was not on campus that day because he was snowed in, in Frazier Park and no one was called to fill in.
Consequently, Rodriguez says a gate near the science building that was supposed to be locked, was left open the day of the shooting.
Taft Union High Superintendent Blanca Cavazos says they have not seen the lawsuit yet and cannot comment.
Attorney Daniel Rodriguez filed the suit on behalf of his client Bowe Cleveland, who was shot during science class at Taft Union High School in January.
Rodriguez says Cleveland has been back and forth between the hospital and doctors since the shooting and he is going to need medical care for the rest of his life because of his injuries.
Rodriguez claims the district knew Cleveland and others were targeted on a hit list by accused shooter Bryan Oliver, and failed to protect their students.
"People out in the Taft community, they have told us this hit list was out a year before. If that's the case, we want to know did the school district call the family and ask if there was a gun? If the school district has a zero tolerance policy for violence, which they say they do, why didn't they kick this student out of class, get him help or whatever they needed to do?," said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez says the district should have informed the parents of students who were targeted on that list.
Several students contend Oliver had been bullied by Cleveland and another student who also was shot.
Rodriguez says another issue is that the school's security officer was not on campus that day because he was snowed in, in Frazier Park and no one was called to fill in.
Consequently, Rodriguez says a gate near the science building that was supposed to be locked, was left open the day of the shooting.
Taft Union High Superintendent Blanca Cavazos says they have not seen the lawsuit yet and cannot comment.