Wounded Girl’s Family Sues School District

The family of a girl wounded in a junior high shooting rampage has filed a negligence lawsuit against the Moses Lake School District.

The lawsuit filed by Natalie Hintz, 13, and her family contends the school district should have known that defendant Barry Loukaitis posed a danger to other students.

Loukaitis, 15, earlier this month pleaded innocent by reason of insanity to three counts of aggravated first-degree murder and one count of first-degree assault.

Jerry Moberg, a lawyer for the school district, said Friday he had not seen the lawsuit and declined comment.

In May, when the Hintz family filed a $5 million claim that was a prerequisite for filing the lawsuit, the district said it was blameless and would fight the claim.

The lawsuit does not seek a specific amount in damages because that is prohibited by state law, said James S. Rogers of Seattle, lawyer for the Hintz family.

Also named as defendants were Loukaitis, and his parents.