A woman injured when a gunman opened fire on a poolside birthday party at a University City condominium complex in April filed a lawsuit on Wednesday claiming the gunman’s family should have known he was a “walking time bomb.”

Charnee James, 24, was one of seven adults who were shot when 49-year-old Peter Selis opened fire on partygoers in a pool area at the upscale La Jolla Crossroads complex on Judicial Drive. Selis, who lived at the complex, was shot and killed by San Diego police officers who rushed to the scene.

James was shot in both legs. She suffered “considerable nerve damage” and incurred hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills as a result of her injuries, the lawsuit reads. She also lost her new job, and her ongoing therapy prompted her to move back home to Michigan.

She claims that Selis’ family was negligent because they knew or should have known Selis was a danger to himself and others because he was obviously struggling. The lawsuit claims there warning signs those closest to him should have noticed including a recent break up and crippling debt.


Selis’ brother-in-law, Stuart Posnack, is CEO of Garden Communities, a development firm that is the parent company of La Jolla Crossroads LLC, which owns the complex where the shooting occurred. Both companies are named in the lawsuit, as is the estate of Peter Selis.

The suit also claims an unnamed security guard company in charge of watching over the property was negligent in failing to prevent the shooting and for failing to protect victims once the shooting started.

James is seeking unspecified damages.


Twitter: @LAWinkley

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lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com