The parents of a Mission Viejo man who was fatally stabbed in a outside a Lake Forest are suing the business, its owners and the city of Lake Forest for an unspecified sum.
The wrongful death lawsuit accuses the Albatros restaurant, its co-owners Thang Quang Pham and Kathy Tram Pham, and Lake Forest of failing to prevent the death of Mission Viejo man Hossain Saidian.
On the night of June 10, Saidian was celebrating his 32nd birthday when a late-night fight broke out inside the 24-hour Mexican restaurant. It ended in the fatal stabbing of Saidian and another man, , .
died in the restaurant parking lot; on June 16.
In their civil suit, Saidian's mother Fahimeh Saidian and father Ardeshir Saidian accuse the restaurant, the Phams and the city of failing to recognize the need for better security and lighting in the plaza where the fight took place.
The suit alleges that a "history of violent incidents and altercations" at Albatros and its surrounding area should have spurred safety measures.
Instead, flawed security and lighting gave criminals the "perfect opportunity for the commission of a variety of violent crimes" in the the Rockfield Boulevard strip mall, the suit alleges.
Although the suit describes the late-night hangout as a "hotbed for violence and illegal activity."
Sheriff's Lt. Pat Higa disputed the "hotbed" claim Tuesday evening, saying it isn't supported by calls for service or reports from Lake Forest deputies who regularly patrol that area.
The suit also asserts that restaurant employees who saw the victims "surrounded by an angry mob of Albatros customers" sent the brawlers into the parking lot rather than calling police, thus playing a role in the subsequent fight.
Saidian's family further alleges that Albatros employees should have anticipated the parking lot fight and the possibility of injuries, and attempted to stop it from taking place. The suit accuses Albatros employees of being aware of previous illegal activity at the restaurant and in the area, including the "sale of illegal drugs."
No specific amount of money is listed in the suit, which seeks compensation for the costs of Saidian's medical treatment, hospitalization, funeral and burial, loss of future earnings and his family's emotional distress.
The owners of the Albatros were not immediately available for comment.
