Anthony Borges: Parkland Shooting Survivor Files First Lawsuit In The Stoneman Douglas Shooting

Anthony Borges, a Parkland School shooting survivor who took five bullets while protecting other classmates during the shooting, became the first of the victims to file a lawsuit over the mass shooting, the Orlando Sentinel is reporting.

Borges was one of 17 people to have been wounded in the February 14 attack but survive (another 17 were killed). Specifically, the 15-year-old used his body to barricade the door to his classroom, where 20 students with his side. He paid for his heroism with five bullet wounds and was the last of the injured survivors to leave the hospital. He was released from the hospital on April 4, as CNN reported at the time.

In March, while Borges was still hospitalized, his family announced their intention to sue.

And on Tuesday, Borges family attorney Alex Arreaza did just that, filing the suit electronically in Broward Circuit Court.

The defendants in the suit include a wide range of people and institutions. First is alleged shooter Nikolas Cruz himself, who is currently in jail. Additionally, the estate of Cruz’ mother, Lynda Cruz, is named (Lynda died of pneumonia in November of 2017). The other individuals named are James and Kimberly Snead, the family with whom Cruz had been living at the time of the shooting.

The Snead family and attorney sit with @NBCNightlyNews They opened their home to the confessed #StonemanDouglas gunman for 3 months. James Snead says there “were no warning signs.” Kimberly Snead says after Cruz was arrested, “I saw him in custody & wanted to trangle him.” pic.twitter.com/9PV0HWRE3q

— Kerry Sanders (@KerryNBC) February 19, 2018

Also named in the suit are three Florida behavior health clinics where Cruz had undergone mental health treatment: Henderson Behavioral Health, the Jerome Golden Center for Behavioral Health, and the South County Mental Health Center.

The suit accuses Nikolas Cruz of assault and battery, while the remaining defendants are all accused of negligence.

It’s not clear how much money, if any, Borges can expect to get out of Cruz or his mother’s estate even if he wins his lawsuit. At a recent hearing, a court heard that Cruz’s assets were listed at less than $26,000, and “lingering questions” remain over the value of Lynda Cruz’ estate, according to the Sentinel.

Meanwhile, other lawsuits may be forthcoming, from both Borges and other Parkland survivors. Borges’ family has publicly discussed suing the Broward School Board and the Broward Sheriff’s Office for their alleged roles in the shooting. Similarly, survivors Kyle Laman, Elizabeth Stout, and Fernanda Gadea have filed notices of their intentions to sue.