Lawsuit representing victims of Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting goes after gun manufacturer

GILROY, Calif. - On the second anniversary since the horrific shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival killed three people and wounded 17 others, the lawyers representing the shooting victims added a fourth defendant to their long-delayed lawsuit.

On Tuesday, Brady Legal and the Scarlet Law Group announced they have approval from Santa Clara County Superior Court to name Century Arms LLC., the gun manufacturer of the weapon used the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooter, in their case.

"We believe we will prove that Century Arms's conduct was reckless, was negligent, and was in violation of federal law and all standards of care," Jonathan Lowy, Brady Chief Counsel and Vice President of Legal, said. Wendy Towner, who was wounded in the garlic festival shooting, added, "You cannot cut corners in the name of profits. At some point, the innocent pay the price."

The attorneys are seeking damages and injunctive relief from Century Arms for marketing and selling the military-style assault rifle used by the shooter. Lowy claims the gun manufacturer designed a weapon that can too easily be modified to fire automatically.

The lawsuit has been delayed by the pandemic, and the attorneys have spent a year and a half collecting discovery.

The lawsuit also names the City of Gilroy, the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association, and the Security Team hired by the festival association.

Earlier Tuesday morning, the Mayor of Gilroy, Marie Blankley, along with the Gilroy City Council. held a commemorative service for tee three people who were killed at the festival two years ago.

"We are here today at this memorial site at Christmas Hill Park to remember the lives lost of Trevor Irby, Keyla Salazar, and Stephen Romero," Blankley said before laying flowers at their memorials. "And the lives forever changed by a sudden act of violence at Gilroy's 41st annual Garlic Festival.

Erwin Boggs, a Gilroy resident, and memorial attendee refused to let the event be forgotten. "This kind of fades into the background, which we cannot let it do. we cannot let it fade into the background," Boggs said. His wife Barbara added, "I think we’ve pulled together. We’ll never forget what but I think we’ll go forward."

The price of Gilroy’s loss will forever be etched in stone, beneath a palm tree not far from where another mass shooting rocked the country.

KTVU's Jesse Gary contributed to this report.