EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — A new lawsuit filed Monday alleges Scheels could have prevented the death of a 19-year-old in 2022. Jordan Markie's mother, Sarah Bogart is suing Scheels and employee, William Ballantyne for wrongful death and negligent entrustment.
On Aug. 22, 2022, Markie went into Scheels located off of Flying Cloud Drive in Eden Prairie and died by suicide. The lawsuit says Markie went into the store and was acting unusual, then approached an employee and asked to see a handgun stored in a cabinet. The suit says Markie was given a handgun by the employee without asking Markie for his identification or age. Markie loaded the gun in the store and shot himself within mere minutes of obtaining the gun.
"Scheels simply should have done more, " Bogart's attorney, Alla Lefkowitz said.
Markie, who was 19 at the time, was not legally old enough to buy a handgun in Minnesota. Lefkowitz said it's common practice for gun retailers to have trigger locks on guns and said Scheels did not in this case.
Scheels does not have a comment on the lawsuit.
"They didn't take any safeguards in providing this handgun to someone who is underage," Lefkowitz said. "Had they taken the simplest of steps whether that's the use of a trigger lock, checking identification, even asking age; Jordan would be here today."
In Minnesota, you must be 21 years old to buy a handgun. Retailers are not required by law in Minnesota to keep trigger locks on guns in stores.
Suicide by firearm is a leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If you or someone you love is having a crisis, the national mental health hotline is: 988.