WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — Nearly two years after two teens were shot and killed in West Valley City, their families filed a lawsuit against the school district, claiming they knew about alleged escalating violence.
On Thursday, the families of Paul Tahi and Tivani Lopati filed the suit against the Granite School District.
Tahi and Lopati, both students of Hunter High School, were fatally shot along 4100 South and the Mountain View Corridor, on a sidewalk located across the street from the school. A third student was also injured in the shooting.
FOX 13 News previously reported the incident stemmed from a dispute between two groups of students from Hunter High and another school.
The shooter, who was 14 at the time, was initially charged with two counts of felony murder. As part of a plea deal, the teen admitted to manslaughter in December 2022 and was sentenced to six years in a juvenile detention facility.
The complaint alleges that the Granite School District knew about the "clashing" between the two groups of students, but failed to investigate and intervene.
"Specifically, upon information and belief, the school administration and the school district police failed to properly perform student discipline screens, provide student services referrals, implement student safety plans, and inform the students’ parents of the situation," the lawsuit states.
Due to the lack of investigation, the lawsuit claims fighting between students escalated with fatal consequences.
"Because the threat of violence had become so intense, and because the school administration and the school district police had failed to properly address and deescalate the situation, one student felt the need to bring a gun to school on the day of the shooting for his own safety and protection," documents state.
The families also claim the school district knew about "racially-charged harassment and discrimination toward Polynesian students at Hunter High School."
"Granite School District was deliberately indifferent to known acts of student-on-student racial harassment and discrimination; it chose to sit by and do nothing," the lawsuit states.
Families are seeking, "costs associated with Paul’s and Tivani’s death, the value of services Paul and Tivani would have provided, loss of Paul’s and Tivani’s society, comfort, association, love, counsel, care, consortium and protection, loss of the reasonable expectation to associate with Paul and Tivani for the rest of their natural life and for any and all other damages as may be just under the circumstances."
The Granite School District told FOX 13 News they were not made aware of the filing.
“The district was not made aware of this filing and has not had opportunity to review it," the statement reads. "Regardless, we are unable to comment on pending litigation.”
