Heartbroken Parents After 22-Year-Old Daughter Shot by Boyfriend's Father
A Tragic Shooting and the Legal Battle That Follows
The parents of a young woman who was fatally shot by her boyfriend's father have filed a wrongful death lawsuit, bringing to light the harrowing details of the incident. Whitney Robeson, a recent graduate from Auburn University, lost her life in what is being described as a tragic accident involving an antique firearm.
Whitney was killed by a .22 bullet from an antique revolver while it was being handled by Jeffrey Scott Towers, according to a coroner's report and the lawsuit filed by her parents. The shooting occurred on March 7 at Towers' home in Trussville, Alabama, when he was showing off his gun collection to his son’s girlfriend and his son, Brandon.
At the time of the incident, the local coroner's office classified the shooting as an accident. However, on May 11, Towers was arrested and charged with manslaughter before being released on $30,000 bail.
Demanding a Jury Trial
Whitney's parents, Carin and Matthew Robeson, have now taken legal action in Jefferson County Circuit Court, alleging that Towers was careless while handling the firearm. The lawsuit states that Whitney died after being hit by a .22 bullet from a Colt Navy single-action revolver, which caused fatal injuries to her left lung, heart, and aorta.
The Robesons, who are from the Richmond area of Virginia, filed the legal action in Birmingham, Alabama, on Friday and are demanding a jury trial. Their lawsuit claims that Towers was showing Whitney and Brandon "a collection of antique firearms in the upstairs area or attic" at 9:30 pm on March 7 at his home.
It accuses Towers of failing to check if the gun was loaded when handling it near others and lacking basic firearm safety knowledge.
Reckless Indifference Claims
According to the legal action, Towers was holding the loaded .22 caliber revolver when "a single shot was inadvertently discharged," which hit Whitney "in the upper left side of her chest." Emergency responders tried to save her life and transported her to St Vincent's East Hospital, but she died at 10:49 pm.
The parents' lawsuit alleges that Towers had a duty to safely inspect and maintain any and all firearms so as not to cause harm or death. It claims he breached this duty by negligently failing to inspect the firearm to ensure it was not loaded prior to handling. The lawsuit also states that Towers showed "reckless indifference to the consequences and a conscious disregard for the safety of others."
Towers allegedly "engaged in the unsafe handling of a firearm without verifying whether the weapon was loaded."
The Fight Over Responsibility
Towers' lawyers, John Amari and Dain Stewart at Amari Law Firm, have denied that he was criminally responsible for Robeson's death. In a statement, they said, "What happened to Ms. Robeson was a tragic event." They added that while they understand the justice system must play out, "the facts will show that Mr. Towers has no criminal history, has been a productive and upstanding citizen for his entire life, and is not guilty of these charges."
However, Robeson's family lawyer, Andrew Moak, stated that the county DA's office determined that Towers acted with criminal recklessness. He added, "Given that determination, efforts to portray Mr. Towers as 'innocent' are not supported by the evidence in the case."
Moak emphasized that the matter involves the "tragic and unnecessary death of a 22-year-old woman whose life was cut short far too soon."
An Uncanny Gift for Kindness
Whitney's family paid tribute to her in a moving obituary, describing her as a "marvelous, independent woman" who was on the cusp of her successful career in interior design. She had just started working as an interior design consultant with Restoration Hardware in Birmingham after graduating summa cum laude from Auburn's College of Human Science department.
Her former sorority also posted a glowing tribute to her, saying, "We are incredibly grateful to have shared in her friendship, and our chapter will forever cherish the memories we made together."
A new initiative, Wrapped in Whitney's Love, has been set up to honor her memory. It will provide new mothers and their babies with swaddles and other essential supplies to help them get off to a good start in life.
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