Rodriguez, who was arrested in January 2021, was a regular player of the store\u2019s gaming machines, according to the lawsuit. That\u2019s how he knew there would be a large amount of cash on the premises, kept for instant cash payouts, and virtually no security, the lawsuit states.<\/p>\n
There was no onsite private security, or even a bullet-proof shield or enclosure separating the employee from customers. Patel was mopping the floor when Rodriguez arrived, and totally vulnerable, according to his attorneys.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout the safety procedures and regulations, such as those at a licensed, regulated, taxed casino, violent criminals have identified these locations as soft targets with large amounts of cash,\u201d <\/strong>said the family\u2019s attorney Larry Bendesky in a statement.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\u201cThese illegal gambling devices\u00a0have a long and nefarious history in our Commonwealth\u2019s criminal justice history as magnets for violent criminals looking for an easy score,\u201d he added. \u201cAs a result, the combative, controversial industry that refers to these devices as \u2018skill games,\u2019 and their partners at gas stations and other small businesses unequipped to handle these operations, needs to be held accountable for what in this case was clearly a killing machine.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nThe Patels\u2019 lawsuit includes claims of gross negligence and strict product liability that resulted from Patel’s death. It seeks compensatory damages, punitive or exemplary damages, interest and costs.<\/p>\n