TALLAHASSEE – The estate of Leon County man has filed a wrongful death suit against an apartment complex after he was killed while making a food delivery by armed trespassers.
Alisha Giles filed her complaint May 2 on behalf of the estate of Aaron Giles in Leon County Circuit Court against SP Sunrise LP and Standard Sunrise Place Manager LLC, which own and operate Sunrise Place Apartments in Tallahassee.
According to the complaint, armed individuals in a Nissan Altima trespassed onto the premises of Sunrise Place Apartments just before midnight on March 22 “to case the area.” A few minutes later, they returned and trespassed at least two more times.
At 12:12 a.m. on March 23, Aaron Giles entered the premises to deliver items to a Sunrise Place resident when three armed individuals on foot began firing guns. Aaron Giles was shot multiple times by the trespassers and died as a result of his wounds.
According to media reports, 20-year-old Theodore Cockran of Albany, Georgia, was arrested April 10 in the death of Giles. Cockran is being held without bond.
Giles, who had just turned 46, was the father of nine children. Four of the nine children are minors and are named as survivors in the lawsuit, and eight of the nine children live in other states. Giles was making his final delivery of the night for Gopuff, a grocery and alcohol delivery service.
In the complaint, Giles’ estate accuses the defendants of negligence for failing to exercise reasonable and ordinary care to keep and maintain its premises safe.
In addition to damages for Aaron Giles’ death and injuries before his death, Alisha Giles and the four minor children seek damages for loss of support, services, companionship and protection as well as for pain and suffering. The estate also seeks funeral expenses and medical care related to the incident as well as prospective net accumulations.
The estate is being represented by Matthew C. Williams of Tallahassee.
Leon County Circuit Court case number 222351685