Lawyer for Arizona victim of Las Vegas mass shooting speaks out, as MGM sues shooting victims

PHOENIX (KSAZ) -- In October, 58 people were killed and hundreds were injured during a mass shooting at a concert in Las Vegas.

Now, about nine months following the mass shooting, the owner of Mandalay Bay, MGM, is turning around and suing the victims. MGM is the owner of the Mandalay Bay Resort, where the shooter fired his weapons.

For many victims, MGM's action has reopened wounds from that horrible night. Legal experts say this move is being done to skirt liability, but one attorney for a victim in Arizona said the action is downright cruel and unusual punishment.

Jovanna Calzadillas is continuing to recover, after being seriously injured in the massacre. Now, an unprecedented legal move by MGM could re-traumatize her family all over again.

"It speaks clearly to the desparacy of MGM to save its stockholders and its business interests," said Calzadillas' attorney, Pat McGroder, via a phone interview.

Calzadillas has not been named in this suit, and in fact, the family is already working on litigation against MGM, but the lawsuit speaks of the cruelty in this case for victims.

"It makes worse our trauma. I'm a victim," said Brian Claypool, one of the victims of the massacre. "I've got PTSD. I'm in therapy once a week. This has put me into a tailspin today."

"They've named victims that are paralyzed, brain damaged, injured beyond belief," said McGroder. "They've named families of deceadents who were murdered at that concert."

MGM says this is to help the victims in this case, but McGroder can't see how that's possible.

"This is clearly a preemptive attempt by MGM, thought up by insurance defense lawyers and people that obviously don't have any sensitivity to the victims of this horrific shooting," said McGroder, who went on to say there are lawsuits filed in about five or six states, and it might force people to make a decision on litigation. Ultimately that will make it more expensive, forcing victims to get legal help sooner than they wanted.