JCC

In the summer of 1999, a Jewish organization received vague threats of violence against its members. On August 10, 1999, a self-proclaimed anti-Semite appeared at the organization's summer camp and, armed with a gun, opened fire, wounding at least one child. In this action, the child and his family seek to hold the organization liable for allegedly failing to provide adequate security measures.

The trial court dismissed the action on demurrer, concluding that the organization did not have a duty to prevent such a crime. We affirm because the violent criminal assault was not reasonably foreseeable, and imposing liability based on vague threats of violence, absent prior armed assaults or other incidents of a similar nature, would impose an unfair burden on the organization.

After two successful demurrers, plaintiffs filed a second amended complaint. For purposes of our review, we must accept as true the following allegations. (See Blank v. Kirwan (1985) 39 Cal.3d 311, 318 , 216 Cal.Rptr. 718 , 703 P.2d 58 .)

In June 1999, Eleanor and Charles Kadish (the Kadishes) enrolled their sons, Benjamin (age 5) and Joshua (age 9), in a summer camp, Camp Valley Chai, run by the…