Recent acts of violence in public places have left many Greenville residents asking difficult questions about safety.
Following the June 2026 shooting at Haywood Mall, many people wondered whether responsibility ends with the person who pulled the trigger or whether a business may also bear responsibility when violence occurs on its property. According to the Greenville Police Department, the incident began as an argument between individuals who knew one another and resulted in two people being hospitalized, including an uninvolved bystander. The investigation remains ongoing. The facts surrounding any individual incident matter, and it is important not to draw conclusions before an investigation is complete.
Even so, incidents like these raise an important legal question.
Can a business be held liable when someone is injured during a violent crime on its property?
The answer depends on the circumstances.
While the person who commits a violent act is primarily responsible for the harm they cause, South Carolina law also recognizes that businesses and property owners have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect customers, tenants, guests, and other lawful visitors from foreseeable dangers. When they fail to address known security risks, that failure may become negligent security—a form of premises liability.
Understanding when inadequate security becomes negligence can help victims and their families better understand their legal rights after a preventable tragedy.
Businesses Have a Duty to Take Reasonable Safety Measures
Businesses are not expected to guarantee that every customer will always be safe.
Crime can occur anywhere, and not every violent act could have been prevented.
However, property owners are expected to act reasonably under the circumstances. That means recognizing foreseeable risks and taking appropriate measures to reduce them when necessary.
Reasonable security measures may vary depending on the type of property, its location, and its history of criminal activity. What is appropriate for a neighborhood coffee shop may differ from what is expected at a large shopping center, apartment complex, hotel, nightclub, or entertainment venue.
When property owners ignore known safety concerns, innocent people can suffer life-changing injuries.
What Is Negligent Security?
Negligent security is a type of premises liability claim.
These cases arise when a property owner fails to provide reasonable security measures and that failure contributes to a foreseeable criminal act that causes injury.
Negligent security cases are not limited to apartment complexes. They may involve a wide range of commercial properties, including:
- Shopping malls
- Retail stores
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Bars and nightclubs
- Parking garages
- Office buildings
- Event venues
- Convenience stores
- Gas stations
Every property presents different security challenges. The question is whether the owner acted reasonably in light of the risks they knew—or should have known—existed.
Foreseeability Is Often the Key Question
One of the most important issues in a negligent security claim is foreseeability.
Property owners are generally not responsible for sudden, unpredictable acts of violence that could not reasonably have been anticipated.
However, when there is a history of criminal activity or other warning signs, businesses may have a duty to take additional precautions.
Factors that may be considered include:
- Previous shootings, assaults, or robberies on the property
- Repeated calls for police service
- Violent crime in the immediate area
- Broken gates, locks, or access control systems
- Poor lighting in parking lots or common areas
- Non-functioning surveillance cameras
- Inadequate security personnel where additional security may have been appropriate
No single factor automatically establishes negligence. Instead, courts often evaluate whether a reasonable property owner would have recognized the risks and taken additional steps to protect visitors.
What Does Adequate Security Look Like?
Adequate security does not necessarily mean armed guards at every entrance.
Reasonable security measures depend on the circumstances surrounding each property.
Examples may include:
- Well-lit parking lots and walkways
- Functional surveillance camera systems
- Controlled access to restricted areas
- Working locks, gates, and security equipment
- Security personnel during high-risk events or peak business hours
- Employee training for handling emergencies
- Prompt responses to known safety concerns
Security measures should evolve as risks change. A property that has experienced repeated criminal activity may require additional precautions to help protect visitors.
Not Every Shooting Means a Business Is Liable
It is important to recognize that not every violent crime gives rise to a negligent security claim.
Businesses cannot control every action taken by another person.
If a shooting occurs without warning and there is no reasonable basis to anticipate the danger, the property owner may not have acted negligently.
That is why every case requires a careful investigation.
Determining whether a business may share responsibility often involves reviewing police reports, surveillance footage, maintenance records, prior incidents, security policies, and other evidence that helps establish whether the crime was foreseeable and whether reasonable precautions were taken.
The Impact of Violent Crime Extends Far Beyond Physical Injuries
Victims of shootings and other violent crimes often face challenges that continue long after the scene has been cleared.
Serious injuries may require:
- Emergency medical treatment
- Surgery
- Physical rehabilitation
- Long-term medical care
- Mental health counseling
- Lost income during recovery
Many victims also experience lasting emotional trauma, including anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and post-traumatic stress.
Family members may face significant burdens as well, from caring for injured loved ones to coping with the emotional impact of a traumatic event.
These losses can affect every aspect of a person’s life.
Accountability Helps Protect the Community
Most negligent security claims are not about placing blame on businesses for every crime that occurs.
They are about accountability.
When businesses ignore known dangers or fail to take reasonable steps to protect customers, preventable tragedies may occur.
Holding property owners accountable encourages safer practices, stronger security measures, and greater attention to the risks facing the communities they serve.
Accountability also helps ensure that victims are not left to bear the financial and emotional consequences of someone else’s negligence alone.
Why Negligent Security Cases Require Careful Investigation
Negligent security claims are often complex.
Unlike many other personal injury cases, these claims require a detailed examination of both the criminal act and the property owner’s conduct before the incident occurred.
A thorough investigation may include reviewing:
- Police reports
- Incident reports
- Surveillance video
- Property maintenance records
- Prior criminal activity
- Security policies and procedures
- Witness statements
- Expert analysis regarding reasonable security measures
Understanding whether a property owner fulfilled their legal responsibilities requires looking at the complete picture, not simply the events of a single day.
Moving Forward After a Serious Injury
If you or someone you love has been injured during a violent crime on commercial property, understanding your legal rights is an important first step.
Every case is different, and liability depends on the specific facts involved. However, when inadequate security contributes to a foreseeable crime, victims may have legal options beyond pursuing the individual responsible for the violence.
At Thomas Creech Law Offices, we represent individuals and families throughout Greenville and the Upstate in serious premises liability and negligent security cases. We understand that these cases involve more than physical injuries—they involve disrupted lives, unanswered questions, and a desire for accountability.
A Final Thought
Violent crime can happen anywhere, but that does not mean businesses are relieved of their responsibility to protect the people they invite onto their property.
When foreseeable dangers are ignored and reasonable security measures are not taken, the consequences can be devastating for victims, families, and the broader community.
While every incident must be evaluated on its own facts, understanding when inadequate security becomes negligence is an important step toward recognizing your legal rights and seeking accountability when preventable failures contribute to serious harm.
At Thomas Creech Law Offices, we believe accountability is about more than financial recovery. It is about helping victims understand the full impact of their injuries, encouraging safer communities, and working to ensure preventable tragedies are less likely to happen in the future.
Start your Journey to Justice today.
