Colorado Appeals Court Revives Taco Bell Wrongful-Death Suit

The Colorado Court of Appeals revived Tali’Ja Campbell’s wrongful-death lawsuit against the Taco Bell franchisee over the June 2023 killing of her husband, Qualin, in the restaurant’s Colorado Springs parking lot. The suit alleges the franchisee should have known about recurring criminal activity and inadequate security at the location. The appeals court said the allegations, if proven, could support a claim that Taco Bell knew or should have known of frequent criminal activity on its premises, but dismissed claims against the neighboring KFC operator because the shooting occurred outside Taco Bell. The ruling allows the case to proceed but does not determine whether either company was legally responsible for Campbell’s death.