Property owners who offer apartments, condos or homes for lease or rent have a legal responsibility to maintain a clean and safe environment. Their failure to keep up their property is negligence.
The Northridge home where four people were found shot and killed early Sunday morning was an unlicensed boarding home, where as many as 17 people lived.
Palm trees at a park in Northridge, Los Angeles, California (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The shooting occurred about 4:25 a.m. Sunday at a house in the 17400 block of Devonshire Street. After receiving a 911 call describing yelling and gunfire, officers went to the home and found two men and two women shot dead outside.
The names of the victims have not been released, and the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office said a security hold had been placed on the case.
Officials from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety inspected some areas of the property on Sunday, except for those restricted by the police investigation.
City staff is researching records to determine whether the building was properly permitted and what, if any, inspections may have taken place.
According to building records, the most recent city interaction at the home appears to be in June 2009, when code enforcement received a call reporting that the garage had been converted into a dwelling without a permit.
The call was made June 2, but an inspection of the property on June 26 concluded that the garage had not been converted, and the case was closed.
In 2003, the property owner was cited for unpermitted construction to create a carport and extend the roof and unpermitted outdoor storage of construction materials.
The owner of the home, Yag Kapil, said he was sleeping at the time of the shootings and “didn’t hear it at all.”
Kapil denied that the home, which he said he owned since 1968, was a boarding home.
He said he does not know the people who were killed and that they did not rent rooms from him.
If a loved one was the victim of wrongful death that was caused by negligence or some other form of reckless behavior, it is important that you contact a committed and dedicated personal injury lawyer to help you decide if you should file a lawsuit. A competent and reputable injury lawyer can help you receive the compensation you deserve for your pain and suffering.
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