Hospital Front

Family of Chicago Hospital Shooting Victim Files Suit Against Security Company, Hospital

The lawsuit argues that Mercy Hospital and SDI Security did not follow their own protocols by failing to issue alerts or initiating a lockdown of the building.

  • By Haley Samsel
  • Dec 10, 2019

A security company and hospital in Chicago are facing a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of a woman killed in a 2018 shooting.

The 12-count suit accuses Mercy Hospital, SDI Security Inc and Trinity Health Inc of negligence that would have saved the life of Dayna Less, a pharmacy resident, who was killed when she stepped out of a hospital elevator on Nov. 19, 2018. The suit also names the estate of the shooter, who was killed during a gun battle with police.

Two others died during the shooting: emergency room doctor Tamara O’Neal, who was the ex-fiancee of the gunman, and Chicago Police Officer Samuel Jimenez, who was killed in the shootout shootout.

Less’ family claims that the hospital and the security company did not follow their own protocols while responding to the shooting. SDI and Mercy failed to issue a “Code Silver” alert for an active shooter that would have led to a lockdown of the building, The Chicago Sun-Times reported.

That alert would have warned Less and her colleagues about the threat, the lawsuit contends, and prevented the gunman from re-entering the hospital after he shot O’Neal in the parking lot.

In addition, the suit accuses hospital and security officials of not confronting the gunman between the time he arrived in the hospital lobby at 1:45 p.m. and when he confronted O’Neal in the parking lot at 3:12 p.m.

“Mercy and SDI literally watched this armed and dangerous man hunt down and kill Dr. O’Neal, then shoot at the police when they arrived, and then stop and reload his weapon. Yet they did nothing,” Matthew Piers, an attorney for the Less family, told the Sun-Times. “Amazingly, they continued to do nothing as [the gunman] walked back into the still unlocked hospital building.”

In response to the suit, Mercy Hospital officials extended their sympathy to the Less family but said they do not comment on pending litigation. SDI Security filed a contribution lawsuit last month arguing that the city of Chicago and the police departments had failed to confront the shooter or prevent him from re-entering the hospital. This makes them partially liable for any damages related to the tragedy, according to SDI.

The company denied any liability for injuries caused by the shooting but said the city should have to contribute to payment if a judgement is rendered against SDI, according to the Sun-Times.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.