The family of a teen stabbed to death nearly two years ago during a sleepover is suing a Florida supermarket for allegedly selling the teen suspect the weapon used in the crime.
NBC affiliate WPTV-TV reports that the family of 13-year-old Jovanni Sierra is suing Publix Supermarkets for selling the knife to Corey Johnson – who was 17 at the time of the incident but is being charged as an adult.
According to the family’s attorney, Johnson was able to buy the knife at a location in Palm Beach Gardens and used it hours later and claims the store “spurned law by intentionally failing to check identification before selling dangerous weapons to underage knife purchasers.”
Publix released a statement saying it would be “inappropriate” to comment on a pending case. Florida law says it is illegal to sell any weapon, including a knife, to anyone under the age of 18.
Johnson confessed to police that he stabbed the teen over comments allegedly made about his Muslim faith.
