This week, Pittsburgh Public Safety confirmed that two people were shot inside a business on Frankstown Avenue in Homewood. Both victims were rushed to the hospital in critical condition, and one of them, a 29-year-old young man, later died from his injuries. Our thoughts are with his family and everyone affected by this tragedy.
Incidents like this are a painful reminder that violent crime doesn't just happen on the street — it happens inside the businesses we visit every day: convenience stores, gas stations, apartment complexes, parking garages, bars, and shopping centers. When it does, an important legal question often follows: could better security have prevented it? That question sits at the heart of what's known as a negligent security claim.
Negligent security is a type of premises liability claim. Under Pennsylvania law, property owners and businesses have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to protect people lawfully on their premises from foreseeable harm — including harm caused by the criminal acts of third parties. This doesn't mean every business must have armed guards or metal detectors. It means that when a property owner knows, or reasonably should know, about a risk of violence at their location, they're expected to respond with reasonable precautions.
Common security failures that can support a negligent security claim include:
The legal concept of foreseeability is a key element of these cases. A business isn't automatically liable simply because a crime occurred on its property. Instead, an injury attorney must prove that the business knew, or should have known, that this type of harm was a real possibility — often based on prior incidents at the same location, crime statistics in the surrounding area, or the nature of the business itself.
It's important to note that at this early stage, the circumstances surrounding the Homewood shooting are still being investigated by police, and no determination has been made about the security conditions at that specific location. We reference this incident not to assign blame, but because it reflects a pattern our firm sees too often: violence inside businesses that could potentially have been deterred or minimized with reasonable security measures.
If you or a loved one has been injured due to violence on someone else's property, you may have legal options beyond the criminal case against the shooter. A civil negligent security claim is a separate avenue that focuses not on punishing the perpetrator, but on holding the property owner accountable for failing to provide reasonable safety measures. These cases can help families recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income, funeral costs, and the immeasurable loss of a loved one.
These cases are also notoriously complex. They require a thorough investigation into a property's security history, prior police calls to the location, industry safety standards, and expert testimony about what "reasonable" security should have looked like. An experienced Pittsburgh personal injury attorney like Attorney Robert Disney can help gather this evidence before it disappears — surveillance footage gets overwritten, witnesses become harder to find, and records can be lost.
Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by violence in our Pittsburgh community. If you have questions about a negligent security claim or believe inadequate safety measures contributed to an injury you or a family member suffered, we encourage you to reach out for a confidential consultation. You don't have to navigate this alone, and understanding your legal options is the first step toward accountability and healing.
*This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on the specific facts involved.*
