In 2018, army veteran killed three Pathway Home employees and then himself

In the case of Golick et al. v. State of California et al., the Pathway Home treated a veteran’s psychological conditions beginning in early 2017. While there, he expressed anger and frustration at Pathway’s clinical staff because of their disagreements and threatened to shoot and kill them.

In 2018, a month after Pathway’s program terminated him, he went to the Yountville campus of the Veterans Home of California and took as hostages three Pathway employees: Christine Loeber, its executive director; Dr. Jennifer Golick, its clinical director; and Dr. Jennifer Gonzales Shushereba. He exchanged fire with a deputy sheriff of Napa County. He then shot and killed his hostages and himself.

The plaintiffs, who were the victims’ family members, filed wrongful death lawsuits against multiple defendants. These included the state defendants – consisting of the California Department of Veterans (CALVET) and related entities – and the county defendants – comprising Napa County, the county’s sheriff’s office, and the deputy sheriff.

The plaintiffs made the following allegations:

• Based on the 2008 Interagency Agreement between CALVET and the sheriff’s office, the office had a contractual duty to provide protection at the Veterans Home and to respond to service calls, including criminal-related calls;
• The county defendants had a special relationship with Pathway’s employees and owed them a duty to exercise...

Read Full Story: https://www.hcamag.com/us/specialization/employment-law/sheriffs-office-didnt...