The parents of a Spelman College student slain in September as she walked on the campus of neighboring Clark Atlanta University filed a wrongful death lawsuit Thursday and said their daughter’s shooting could have been avoided if the institution had adequate security.

Jasmine Lynn, a 19-year-old from Kansas City, Missouri, was killed by stray gunfire as she walked with friends on Sept. 3.

“The most basic duty that a school has is to keep students safe. Despite numerous instances of violent crimes being committed against student on CAU’s campus, CAU failed to provide adequate security. If they had simply done this, my child would be alive today,” said Jasmine Lynn’s mother, Constance Franklin.

Rod Edmond, an Atlanta attorney representing Clint Lynn and Franklin, said Clark had been on notice of incidents of violent crime on campus.
“We understand they were aware of a criminal element on campus,” Edmond told BlackAmericaWeb.com.

Clark is part of the Atlanta University Center that also includes Morehouse College and Spelman College. Morris Brown College also is nearby. Students at the colleges frequently visit each other and participate together in activities.

Clark has faced at least two other lawsuits in recent years related to on campus shootings, Edmond said.

“If they had in place adequate security, with ground checks and check points on campus, stray bullets would not have been issue,” Edmond said.

The parents are seeking both punitive and compensatory damages in the lawsuit filed in Fulton State Court.

Efforts to reach Clark Atlanta University officials for comment were unsuccessful.

In an article published on AJC.com, Clark Atlanta spokeswoman Jennifer Jiles declined to comment. “We have not been served with the legal documents. And the university does not comment on pending legal matters,” Jiles told AJC.com.

Last month, Devonni Manuel Benton, a 21-year-old ITT Technical Institute student, was indicted on charged he killed Lynn. Benton and his family say he was not the shooter.

Police have said that Benton and his friends were walking near the CAU campus when they got into a fight with a group of Clark Atlanta students. They allege that Benton fired six times as ran down the street away from the group.

A stray bullet struck Lynn in the chest. Her friend, Jerome Jones, a Clark student, was wounded in the wrist.

Jasmine Lynn’s parents said their lives have changed dramatically since the death of their daughter.

“Every day is different. Sometimes I’m up; sometimes I am really down,” Franklin told BlackAmericaWeb.com. She has a 12-year-old son who often joked with his sister about who would attend the best the college.

“I am hoping this does not discourage him from going to college,” Franklin said.

Jasmine Lynn has devastated her father, Clint Lynn.

“I hope no other parent has to go through anything like this. She was the only child I had,” Clint Lynn told BlackAmericaWeb.com.

The lawsuit states that, “Despite having clear and obvious knowledge of the need to improve security, Defendant CAU inexplicably failed to take the necessary actions to properly secure its campus and to properly protect both students and invitees.”
 
Franklin said that in addition to the lawsuit, she wants to do whatever possible to help make campuses safer for students and to support other families who face the loss of a child through violence.
 
“I have been affiliated with some groups in Kansas City, but I plan to affiliate with some groups here and other places too,” she said, speaking in a phone interview from Atlanta.
 
“No amount of money could heal my pain," Franklin said during news conference in Atlanta after the lawsuit was filed. "We have to save our babies."

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this incident speaks loudly about the high rate of violence that young black males participate in. why doe s a fist fight lead to gun shots anyway? maybe, by suing this school, black folks will take notice across this country and do something about these black on black killings

by   
Spercy
November 6, 2009, 2:54 pm
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They had security issues before this tragedy and they ignored it and now it has cost someone their life. Yes, Obama' Security can, because they already know that any attempt on his life will come from stray bullet and long range shooters. Or he would be dead already, since he has the most death threats than any other president.

by   
Broughtwaprice
November 6, 2009, 11:35 am
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Want u tell me How can any security stop a STRAY BULLET!! and u dont know where it came from. Clark Atlanata isnt that BIG so u gone have 30 security Guards roaming a campus thats stupid .. NO BODY even Obama Security pepole cant stop a stray bullet

by   
Milkkman
November 6, 2009, 10:23 am
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This college certainly does bares responsibility, this was not the first or last case of violence..It has been happening all along and the school did nothing to beef up their security measures as it should have. The real tragedy is that these Black college kids have before them an opportunity, yet they still bring low brow ways and values and more Black victims...Something they learned from their parents. I say sue the college, perhaps they will finally take security seriously and prevent another child's death.

by   
Broughtwaprice
November 6, 2009, 10:04 am
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It was a stray bullet. It could have come from anywhere!! You can't predict or protect against a freak accident. Why are these parents suing the school? Try to focus on finding who fired the bullet in the first place!! Wow...

by   
NOOTIE2
November 6, 2009, 9:52 am
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A lost such as this is especially hard. My daughter will be attending college next Fall. I can only pray that I have instilled enough values in her to be mindful of her surroundings. She has a curfew and I hope that when she leaves she will realize that being out late only subjects her to becoming a victim of crime to say the vey least. Everyone on a college campus is not about academia.

by   
Brightwood1
November 6, 2009, 9:47 am
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sorry for your lost ! But how can u sue the school b/c of a Stray Bullet. No Security can stop a stray bullet on any campus. I understand your grievance but it should be focus on the killer not the school

by   
Milkkman
November 6, 2009, 9:03 am
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