Las Vegas woman shot while driving sues nonprofit that manages complex
A Las Vegas woman who was shot while driving last month is alleging negligence in a lawsuit against the affordable housing nonprofit organization that manages the apartment complex where the shooting happened.
Court documents show that Martha Carbajal, 45, is seeking damages from Nevada HAND, including past and future medical expenses, wage loss, and legal fees. The nonprofit develops and manages low-income residential communities throughout Southern Nevada.
Though the suit does not specify the amount Carbajal is suing for, it says damages are greater than $15,000.
Last month, Carbajal said she was randomly targeted in an east Las Vegas Valley shooting after she made an accidental turn into the Vera Johnson Manor B apartment complex while searching for a public bathroom. The mom of four lost her eye in the attack and has since been recovering mentally and physically, she said.
Carbajal’s lawsuit alleges that Nevada HAND, who manages the apartments, was “in some way” responsible for what happened to her, citing that they failed to “hire, train, supervise, and retain” employees to secure the property.
“(The) defendants knowingly, willingly, and deliberately failed to take steps to protect persons on the subject property from foreseeable harm to save costs with a conscience disregard of the safety of tenants, guests, and other’s rights,” alleges the lawsuit, which was filed Nov. 4 in District Court.
15 shell casings
Metropolitan Police Department reports from the shooting said that officers found 15 shell casings in the parking lot south of 507 North Lamb Boulevard. The Vera Johnson Manor B property encompasses 503 North Lamb Boulevard through 533 North Lamb Boulevard.
According to the Nevada HAND website, the nonprofit is the largest of its kind in Nevada, overseeing 36 family, senior, and senior-assisted living communities throughout Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, and Henderson. Most properties feature 1- to 2-bedroom units costing less than $1,000 a month. The acronym HAND stands for Housing and Neighborhood Development.
Christian Smith, one of the lawyers representing Carbajal, said in an interview with the Review-Journal that Nevada HAND should have had stronger security at the complex where Carbajal was shot, given what he alleged was the complex’s history of “significant criminal activity.” Because Nevada HAND chose not to do so, he alleged, Carbajal suffered.
Nevada HAND declined to comment on the allegations in the lawsuit.
No arrest yet in shooting
According to Metro’s Open Data Portal, officers were called about a different illegal shooting in the 500 block of North Lamb Boulevard two days before Carbajal was shot. It wasn’t clear if this shooting was in the complex.
As of this month, Metro has responded to family disturbances, multiple fights and a battery incident on the 500 block of Lamb Boulevard.
“As far as we are aware, Vera Johnson Manor B did not have any safety patrols on the night Ms. Carbajal was shot,” Smith said. “These properties have an obligation to protect the general public and keep the premises safe. They owed that to our client.”
Metro told the Review-Journal that, as of Friday, nobody had been arrested or charged in connection with the shooting that injured Carbajal.
Contact Akiya Dillon at adillon@reviewjournal.com.