LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A woman has filed a lawsuit against the Paddock Shops in east Louisville after she was violently attacked in a parking lot last year.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Brenna Blankenship, claims negligence and premises liability, alleging poor security and inadequate lighting at the shopping center.
Police arrested Seth Jones and Malakhi Scott Weathers-Parker following the March 2025 attack, which sent three people to the hospital.
According to court documents, three individuals were heading to eat at Malone’s in the Paddock Shops when they shouted “say cheese” to a group taking photos outside the restaurant on March 8, 2025.
An arrest report states that members of the group, including Weathers-Parker and Jones, felt disrespected by the remark. Police said the two men left the area but later returned with a juvenile and appeared to search for the individuals involved, going through multiple restaurants.
When the victims returned to their car, Weathers-Parker, Jones, and the juvenile confronted them, leading to a fight. Police said one victim was struck with their own metal baton, while another was placed in a chokehold until they lost consciousness.
One victim suffered a concussion, skull fractures, and a small brain bleed after being knocked unconscious. Another sustained bruising and contusions to her leg, while a third suffered bruising across his body.
Authorities said the suspects fled the scene, but witnesses observed the incident, and surveillance cameras captured it.
Blankenship is now suing the Paddock Shops and its operators, claiming the center’s “negligent security, inadequate lighting, and absence of surveillance cameras” contributed to the attack. The lawsuit also names Jones and Weathers-Parker as defendants.
“Brenna was tracked through this shopping center before she was ambushed in a dark parking lot,” attorney David Barber said in a news release. “The Paddock Shops had no surveillance cameras covering the parking lots, inadequate lighting, and a security response slower than nearby restaurant employees and bystanders. This attack was foreseeable and preventable.”
Filed March 7 in Jefferson Circuit Court, the lawsuit alleges the shopping center operators had prior knowledge of violent incidents on or near the property and had received repeated warnings from tenants and customers requesting better security.
The suit claims the defendants failed to install parking lot cameras, maintain proper lighting, ensure a visible security presence, or warn visitors of known risks.
It also notes that while the Paddock Shops offered a security escort program for shoppers walking to their vehicles, there were no visible notices about the service near where the attack occurred.
A news release stated that Blankenship suffered serious head and facial injuries that required surgery and ongoing medical care.
The shopping center’s operator has not yet responded to requests for comment.
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