Woman shopping for gun in Horry County leaves store with injuries from stray bullet
A South Carolina woman was shot at an Horry County gun store. Now she’s suing the store.
Deana Montana filed a lawsuit in Horry County court Monday against The Gun Store. The lawsuit states that Montana was shot at the store on 3594 Highway 701 South in Conway.
In March of this year, she went to the store where employees were “allowing and promoting dangerous activities” with firearms, according to the lawsuit. Montana was struck by a projectile from one of the guns, but the lawsuit doesn’t specify much else.
David Floyd, manager of the store and a co-defendant on the lawsuit, said that Montana was not hit by a bullet but instead shrapnel from a bullet that hit the ground in the store’s shooting range. The bullet fragments hit Montana in her arm, according to Floyd, who did not want to comment more on the lawsuit.
The lawsuit states the store failed to maintain proper lookout and enforce proper use of equipment. In doing so they were negligent and reckless, the suit continues.
The Gun Store had knowledge of hazards that they should have warned Montana about and it resulted in Montana suffering multiple severe and permanent injuries, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also claims that The Gun Store negligently hires, supervises and retains employees. But according to Bert von Herrmann, who represents the store in this case, employees had nothing to do with the incident. It was an accidental discharge that happened while a customer was taking target practice in the store’s shooting range, he said. He doesn’t think the store has any liability.
Floyd and his employees “actively participated in, directed and sanctioned the actions which resulted in the creation and existence of the hazardous condition” that left Montana injured, the suit claims. Floyd, who manages the store either was aware of or should have been aware of the dangerous condition and did not take any action to minimize or avoid danger.
Montana says she has suffered physical pain and suffering due to her injuries and is suing Floyd and The Gun Store for an unspecified amount of money for damages.
