Civil Lawsuit Filed Over Murder-Suicide at Kansas City Store

A civil lawsuit has been filed over a murder-suicide at a Kansas City business.

The Kansas City Star reports that the Jackson County Circuit Court lawsuit stems from last month's deaths of Desmond Bell and Cheri Bland. Her parents claim that the manager of the 7th Heaven knew her son was armed and distraught about a recently filed protection order and planned a confrontation. But the suit says police weren't notified and the 28-year-old Bland wasn't hidden at her workplace.

Police said Bell killed Bland before killing himself. The couple had a baby together.

The lawsuit alleged that the store, identified in court records as Music Distribution Network, failed to provide a safe work environment. Store owner Jan Fichman didn't immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press.