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What are the five things to know about the $88 Million Settlement:

1. The mass shooting occurred on June 17, 2015, at the Mother Emanuel AME church in Charleston, S.C. The shooting is one of the deadliest mass shootings at an American place of worship in U.S. history.
2. On July 10, 2015, FBI Director James Comey informed the American people the FBI made mistakes in conducting the background check for the firearm Dylan Roof used to carry out this racially motivated mass shooting and that Roof should not have been allowed to purchase the firearm. 
3. Mother Emanuel AME church is one of the oldest Black churches in the U.S and has long been a center for organizing civil rights events.
4. It is a tribute to a remarkable group of people whose loss, patience, determination and grace made the settlement possible.
5. While African Americans have not always received equal justice in our courts, this settlement serves as a beacon for all and as an important reminder that justice does exist.

Mullins McLeod of MLG was co-lead counsel. His courtroom work and tireless advocacy was instrumental in helping secure this important settlement.

News Coverage Links

Video

ABC News – Video: https://abcnews.go.com/US/video/settlement-reached-2015-charleston-church-shooting-80857295

C-Span – https://www.c-span.org/video/?515694-1/mother-emanuel-ame-massacre-lawsuit-news-conference

Articles

Post & Courier – https://www.postandcourier.com/church_shooting/emanuel-shooting-victims-survivors-reach-historic-88m-settlement-in-fbi-lawsuits/article_9aa9642c-2a9f-11ec-b1da-fb88687d6b29.html

The State – https://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article255349806.html#storylink=mainstage_lead

The State – https://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article255357076.html

Channel 2 – https://www.counton2.com/news/local-news/doj-reaches-88m-settlement-with-survivors-families-of-9-killed-in-racist-attack-emanuel-ame-church/

USA Today:  https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/10/28/justice-department-fbi-emanuel-church-shooting-88-million-settlement/6176999001/

Yahoo News:  https://www.yahoo.com/gma/doj-reaches-settlements-victims-families-153512624.html

WCSC:  https://www.live5news.com/2021/10/28/emanuel-9-families-attorneys-hold-news-conference-lawsuit/

WSJ:  https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-will-pay-88-million-to-families-and-survivors-of-2015-shooting-at-black-church-11635439533

Chester, SC – Today, the McLeod Law Group, LLC filed a wrongful death and Civil Rights Action on behalf of Ariane McCree. McCree was a 28-year-old former NCAA Division I football player and a loving father of his three-year old son. He was a well-known and respected citizen of Chester, South Carolina.

On November 23, 2019, while running errands at his neighborhood Walmart located at 1691 J.A. Cochran Bypass in Chester, McCree was gunned down in the store’s parking lot by Chester Police Department officers.

Despite Mr. McCree being in handcuffs and posing zero risk of harm to anyone, Chester police officers opened fire at him in the crowded Walmart parking lot, riddling at least one parked car with eight bullets and fatally wounding Mr. McCree.

The officers involved in the inexcusable death of Mr. McCree were members of the City of Chester Police department and were at the time of the shooting conducting security for Walmart a private, for-profit business.

Immediately after filing the Action at the Chester County Court House Attorney Mullins McLeod, surrounded by McCree’s friends, family and well-wishers said that today marks the first step in the pursuit of justice.

“A three-year-old boy’s father was killed by the very people who were sworn to serve and protect him. Today’s filing marks the first step towards complete justice for Ariane McCree’s senseless death, McLeod said.

“There is simply no excuse for Walmart not to have proper procedures in place to protect shoppers like Ariane from getting killed by those providing security at their stores. Walmart must be held accountable so that no other family has to endure the pain and loss that the McCree family is going through,” Attorney Colin Ram, of the McLeod Law Group, added