JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — The wife and daughter of man killed inside a Walmart store when a massive tornado hit Joplin are suing.
The Joplin Globereported that the wrongful death lawsuit names as defendants Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and the store's manager. The case was transferred Friday to federal court. It initially was filed in Jasper County Circuit Court.
The suit alleges 62-year-old Stanley Kirk wasn't allowed to leave the store and was directed to an unsafe location. Court records say Kirk lived only three miles away, "or a seven-minute drive," in an area that was not hit by the May 2011 tornado. Three died at the Walmart.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said in a statement that the company stands behind its employees and how they handled the disaster.
The suit seeks unspecified damaged.
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Information from: The Joplin Globe, http://www.joplinglobe.com