CHICAGO (WLS) — The Chicago Park District and a former lifeguard are now facing a lawsuit for a shooting that happened in Douglass Park.
The civil lawsuit was filed by the mothers of the two teens against the now former Chicago Park District lifeguard Charles Leto, who is accused of targeting them.
The wrongful death and personal injury lawsuit accuses Leto of willful violence and also names the Chicago Park District, claiming negligence on the part of park district officials who didn’t fire Leto following a shooting incident he was involved in months earlier.
Marjay Dotson, 15, died in the June attack and relatives say 14-year old Jeremy Herred is now a quadriplegic after being shot by Leto.
Leto is charged with murder and attempted murder in the shooting that happened at the Douglass Park pool.
Leto has claimed he acted in self-defense and accused the boys of threatening him as they allegedly tried to steal his bike.
Most of the shooting was caught by a park district security camera.
SEE ALSO | Video shows what led up to Douglass Park shooting that killed teen, injured Laquan McDonald’s cousin
Back in 2023, Leto avoided arrest after allegedly being involved in a Lakeview neighborhood shooting of two dogs that required a swat team response.
ABC7 reached out to the Chicago Park District for a response to the suit.
Since the shooting incident, the Chicago Park District says its continuing to make reforms including expanded safety training, increased security along with better tracking of tracking of disciplinary actions and patron complaints.
READ MORE | Lifeguard charged after teens shot at Douglass Park improperly brought gun to work, prosecutors say
The teens’ families and their lawyers plan to share more details about the lawsuit later Wednesday.
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