The family of Jillian Ludwig, an 18-year-old college student who was tragically killed by a stray bullet while jogging, has filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against several parties, including Belmont University, the city of Nashville, and the state of Tennessee. The lawsuit, filed by Jillian’s parents, Jessica and Matt Ludwig, claims that their daughter’s death was the result of multiple acts of negligence and recklessness by the defendants.
Jillian Ludwig was fatally shot on November 7, 2023, while jogging in a park near Belmont University. The bullet was fired by 24-year-old Shaquille Taylor, who was reportedly targeting an individual in a moving vehicle but missed and struck Jillian in the head instead. The lawsuit alleges that Jillian was unaware that the park, known as Edge Hill Community Memorial Gardens Park, was an area with high levels of criminal activity, and it claims that the university failed to adequately warn students about the dangers in the area.
The lawsuit specifically points to the fact that Taylor had been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon just months before the shooting, yet he was allowed to remain free. According to the family’s legal team, Taylor had been deemed incompetent to stand trial for his earlier charges, and doctors had failed to meet the eligibility criteria to commit him involuntarily to a mental health facility. Despite this, he was released into the community, which the lawsuit argues directly contributed to the tragic outcome.
The lawsuit further claims that the university had a duty to protect its students by informing them about unsafe areas near campus, which it failed to do. It also alleges negligence on the part of the Metro Nashville Police Department, stating that the police failed to investigate the scene properly after the shooting, leading to a delay in emergency response. According to the complaint, Jillian lay bleeding in the park for over an hour before a passerby discovered her, making it less likely she could have survived the shooting due to the delay in medical assistance.
Additionally, the lawsuit holds the state government responsible for allowing Taylor to remain free despite his mental health issues. The family contends that the doctors’ conflicting findings deeming Taylor incompetent to stand trial but not sufficiently so to warrant involuntary commitment led to a dangerous situation where he was able to possess a firearm and cause harm. The lawsuit argues that the state had a duty to properly assess Taylor’s mental competency and to take action to prevent him from posing a danger to the public.
In response to this tragedy, the state of Tennessee passed Jillian’s Law, which mandates treatment for violent offenders who are found incompetent to stand trial and prohibits them from purchasing firearms. The law, which went into effect in July 2024, aims to address some of the concerns raised by the Ludwig family in their lawsuit.
Shaquille Taylor, who has been charged with felony murder and tampering with evidence, is scheduled to appear in court again on December 9. His actions, combined with what the lawsuit alleges were systemic failures by various entities, have led to this legal action, as the family seeks justice for their daughter’s untimely death.
