Lawsuit Filed Against Scheels For Providing Handgun to Teenager, Resulting in Death by Suicide

Everytown Law, along with Arnold & Porter and Fuller Wallner, filed a lawsuit on behalf of Sarah Van Bogart, the mother of Jordan Markie, following his death by suicide inside of the Eden Prairie, Minnesota, location of Scheels, a national sporting goods superstore.

In August 2022, Jordan was given a handgun by a Scheels employee without being asked to provide any identification or proof of age, despite the fact that Jordan was too young to purchase a handgun and appeared much younger than 21, the legal age to purchase a handgun. The lawsuit alleges that Scheels handed the handgun to Jordan without a disabling device that would render the firearm inoperable. Instead, the handgun was unlocked and ready to receive ammunition. Jordan was able to take his own life moments later in the Scheels store due to the carelessness exhibited by Scheels and its irresponsible business practices.

Suicide by firearm is a leading cause of death in the United States, especially among teenagers. Yet, as alleged in the complaint, without taking any safeguards and in violation of industry custom and practice, Scheels handed an operational handgun to a teenager. The lawsuit seeks to hold Scheels and the Scheels employee named in the suit accountable for their role in Jordan’s untimely and tragic death.

Case Documents

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