Wrongful Death Lawsuits Filed after College Shooting
In Huntsville, AL, wrongful death lawsuits have been filed against UA-Huntsville provost Dr. Vistasp Karbhari, Professor Amy Bishop-Anderson and her husband James Anderson are all named as defendants in the lawsuit. The suit alleges that Karbhari did not act appropriately to avoid any harm to faculty, staff and students at the University of Alabama – Huntsville. Bishop-Anderson is being accused of shooting six of her colleagues while in a faculty meeting in February of last year. Three out of the six faculty members died as a result of the injuries they suffered in the shooting.
According to the attorney representing the families of the victims – Dr. Maria Ragland Davis, and Dr. Adriel Johnson, Bishop-Anderson allegedly made threats and harassed other members of the UA-Huntsville staff. The lawsuit also states the provost was aware of Bishop-Anderson’s mental instability but did nothing to remedy the situation. Students reportedly made petitions and many members of the faculty and staff filed complaints against her. Bishop-Anderson has other prior criminal incidents in her history including shooting and killing her brother and assaulting a diner at a Mass. restaurant.
When we attend a school, college, or university, our primary concern is for our education and the experience we will gain before entering the workforce. Nobody ever expects that experience to be compromised either by other students or faculty/staff members. Unfortunately as this incident demonstrates, it is always a possibility to be put in harm’s way even in a place like this. If Dr. Karbhari in fact knew about Dr. Bishop-Anderson’s mental instability, it should be his responsibility to ensure that no harm comes to anybody in the university. However, as this incident demonstrates, that responsibility was not met. If an investigation shows that Dr. Karbhari did not follow through, he could be held responsible for what happened at the university.
