A Santa Clara County Superior Court judge dismissed the City of Gilroy as a defendant in a lawsuit over a mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, city officials said Friday.
A gunman shot 20 people, killing three, at the annual garlic festival on July 28, 2019. The shooter, 19-year-old Santino William Legan, took his own life.
The decision, announced Thursday last week, followed a tentative ruling that was issued Monday.
“This ruling confirms what the city has felt all along that it held no responsibility for the actions of the shooter,” City Administrator Jimmy Forbis said in a statement.
Mayor Marie Blankley said the city was “profoundly empathetic towards all individuals and families impacted by the Gilroy Garlic Festival Incident and this longtime impending case.”
“We recognize the emotional and personal complexities involved and remain committed to our values of compassion, respect, and genuine concern for all,” she said.