Family of Lauren McCluskey sue University of Utah for $56million for failing to act before she was shot dead on campus by her sex offender ex-boyfriend even though she filed more than 20 police reports
- The family of murdered University of Utah student Lauren McCluskey, 21, is suing her school for $56million for failing to prevent her death
- She was killed by her ex-boyfriend Melvin Shawn Rowland, 37, on October 22
- He shot her in her car on campus a month after she broke up with him upon discovering he lied about his name, age, and sex offender status
- McCluskey's family allege she reported him to campus police more than 20 times but they failed discover he was a parolee and a sex offender
- Her friends also reported him to dormitory officials saying he was controlling and talked about guns but no action was taken against him
- The family say the lawsuit money will go a trust to improve campus safety
- In response the University of Utah vowed to take cases more seriously, run more frequent ex-convict background checks, and increase police presence
The heartbroken family of the University of Utah student who was shot on campus by her sex offender ex-boyfriend has sued the school for failing to prevent her death after she filed multiple warning reports to school police.
Lauren McCluskey, 21, was fatally shot on campus by her ex-boyfriend Melvin Shawn Rowland, 37, on October 22, 2018 - a month after she broke up with him upon discovering he was a registered sex offender who lied about his name, age and criminal history.
Her family launched a lawsuit against the school on Thursday saying that officials failed to protect her or take responsibility in her death.
They're seeking $56million in damages but say the money would go to a trust designed to improve campus safety.
McCluskey had reached alerted campus police about her boyfriend more than 20 times to report concerns about Rowland - who in her final days was extorting her for money.
The family of murdered University of Utah student Lauren McCluskey, 21, (left) is suing her school for $56million for failing to prevent her death. She was killed by her sex offender ex-boyfriend Melvin Shawn Rowland, 37, (right) on October 22, 2018 a month after she dumped him
Lauren's parents Matthew and Jill McCluskey shed tears on Thursday at a news conference where they announced their $56million lawsuit against the University of Utah for failing to prevent their daughter's death on campus
The lawsuit alleges that officials missing the warning signs of dating violence and made no effort to stop Rowland's harassment or ban him from being on campus.
McCluskey's friends also reported concerns to dormitory officials, the lawsuit said.
Lauren's mother Jill McCluskey teared up during a new conference on Thursday as she remarked how the school failed to keep her daughter safe.
'They tried to minimize her and have her go away, they were not caring, they were not helpful,' she said.
Lauren's father Matthew McCluskey said the university has chosen a path of 'defensiveness, denial and no accountability.'
'Lauren’s death was preventable,' attorney James McConkie said in a statement. 'The murder occurred because of the University of Utah’s repeated failure to respond to Lauren’s multiple and continuing pleas for help.'
University of Utah president Ruth Watkins said in a statement that college would respond to the lawsuit through the court system but expressed 'deep sorrow' for McCluskey's death.
'They tried to minimize her and have her go away, they were not caring, they were not helpful,' she said,' Jill McCluskey said during the Thursday pres conference
The McCluskey's are seeking $56million in damages but say the money would go to a trust designed to improve campus safety and to protect other women at risk of dating violence on college campuses
Jill McCluskey shared this post in January saying she was going to fight for better campus security and measures against dating violence
'While there are differences in how we would characterize some of the events leading to Lauren's tragic murder, let me say again that we share the McCluskey family's commitment to improving campus safety,' Watkins said.
An independent review was commissioned by the university and found that the school missed warning signs of dating abuse before McCluskey was found shot in a car after returning form a night class.
However, university president Ruth Watkins says there's no reason to believe Rowland couldn't been stopped.
After shooting McCluskey, Rowland then pulled the gun on himself and took his own life.
The university has pledged to act on the report's findings, but authorities didn't discipline anyone.
McCluskey began to file reports about Rowland over a month before her death. Her friends told housing officials he was controlling and talking about guns.
That report never made it to police because of technical problems submitting it and concerns about overstepping into Lauren McCluskey's private life.
Just 10 days later, her mother called university police saying she was worried about her daughter's safety and requesting an officer accompany Lauren McCluskey as she got her car back from her ex-boyfriend.
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McCluskey received a track scholarship following a standout high school career in Pullman, Washington. She finished second in the state for the 100 hurdles and fifth in the high jump in her senior year
This tribute was displayed at the University of Utah in honor of the track athlete following her death before the start of the NCAA college football game between Oregon and Utah in Salt Lake City in November
Then on October 12, McCluskey told campus police that Rowland's friends tried to lure her off campus and into a trap with fake texts. Days later she reported that he was extorting her, threatening to post compromising photos of her online, leading her to pay him $1,000.
Rowland later left her a message posing as a police officer in an apparent attempt to get her to leave her university apartment, but that report also did not appear to raise serious alarm.
She was told at one point there was little officers could do without a direct physical threat. Investigators did not discover that he was a recent parolee and sex offender.
Campus police 'refused to respond to the reports based on the assumption that Lauren, like most women, was unreasonable, hysterical, hypersensitive, paranoid, overreacting to the situation and not being truthful,' the lawsuit alleges.
In response the University of Utah says they will take the case more seriously and have pledged to run more frequent checks to identify ex-convicts.
They're also hiring more officers, increasing training, and streamlining communications between housing officials and police.
McCluskey received a track scholarship following a standout high school career in Pullman, Washington. She finished second in the state for the 100 hurdles and fifth in the high jump in her senior year. She specialized in jumping events in college and ranks 10th all-time at Utah in the pentathlon.
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