Two victims in this spring’s Easter weekend shooting at Columbiana Centre have filed suit against the company that owns the mall and a company contracted to provide security.

The two women, sisters who were both struck by gunfire during the incident, are seeking $20 million in damages from Brookfield Properties Retail, which operates the mall, and the security company Andy Frain Services, accusing the defendants of negligence and recklessness.

The lawsuit, filed by attorney and former state Sen. Vincent Sheheen, is the first to be brought forth by victims of the April 16 shooting.

Brookfield and Andy Frain Services didn't immediately respond to The Chronicle’s requests for comment.

News of the lawsuit was initially reported by The State newspaper.

According to the eight-page suit, which lists the plaintiffs as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2, the sisters were both hit by gunfire during the Columbiana Centre shootout, which took place on the Saturday afternoon of Easter weekend. The confrontation reportedly followed years of conflict between the three shooters, all of whom have been arrested and charged.

15 people were injured, nine by gunshots, in the shooting, which took place inside the large mall that sits on the Lexington/Richland county line. There were no fatalities.

“As the Plaintiffs were shopping within the Columbiana Centre mall on the above listed date and time, they heard numerous gunshots coming from numerous directions,” the lawsuit states. “The Plaintiffs attempted to duck and cover, but Jane Doe 1 suffered a gunshot wound resulting in severe damage to her health and emotional well-being. Jane Doe 2 suffered a grazing wound from a bullet as well. 

“The resulting chaos caused by the shooting created even more fear and trauma for the Plaintiffs. Plaintiffs have suffered severe and life altering injuries both physical and mental. Some of which resulted in hospitalization, surgeries, rehabilitation, and life altering damages to the body and mental wellbeing.”

The lawsuit cites more than 100 incident reports on file with the Columbia Police Department for the mall — including assaults, robberies and other violent crimes — in an attempt to establish that Columbiana Centre had reason to anticipate the potential for such an incident and that Brookfield and Andy Frain Services, which had been contracted to provide security, didn’t take adequate measures to prevent the shooting

“Defendants have taken heightened securities measures at other similar facilities including increased signage, gun sniffing dogs, and other processes to control crime that they did not utilize at Columbiana Centre,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit also notes that the shooting happened during Easter festivities promoted by the mall.

“Columbiana Centre ... hosted an Easter celebration which included the presence of an Easter Bunny, thereby creating a large amount of patrons to be present at the mall on the listed date,” it states. “The event was promoted as a safe and family friendly event.”

The lawsuit also says the plaintiffs didn’t receive any help from mall employees or security in the wake of the shooting.

“The only immediate offer of care for the Plaintiffs was provided by a retail associate of one of the tenants,” it states.