A wrongful death lawsuit filed by the widow of a man shot and killed outside a Colorado Springs Taco Bell is continuing after the Colorado Court of Appeals reversed a dismissal of her claims against the restaurant's franchisee. Qualin Campbell was shot and killed outside the Taco Bell in June 2023, and his widow, Tali’Ja Campbell, filed a lawsuit in 2025 over what she says was inadequate security.
Appeals Court Splits the Case
According to Colorado Public Radio, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled that Tali’Ja Campbell's claims against the Taco Bell franchisee may proceed, reversing the district court's earlier dismissal. The same appeals ruling dismissed her claims against KFC. An appellate case caption filed with the Colorado Judicial Branch lists KBP Brands, doing business as Taco Bell, and Harman Management Corporation, doing business as KFC, among the defendants-appellees, alongside Asset Strategy Group LLC and the Harman Leon Family Trust.
The lawsuit, filed in 2025, had named KBP Brands — the Taco Bell franchisee — and Harman Management Company, which operated the formerly neighboring KFC, as defendants. El Paso County District Court had previously dismissed all claims against both companies before the appeals court's reversal gave Tali’Ja Campbell's case against the Taco Bell franchisee new life.
A Lunch Break Turned Deadly
The shooting unfolded on June 2, 2023, after Campbell drove to the KFC at 1501 South Nevada Avenue during his lunch break, according to KRDO. An unhoused man entered Campbell's car at the KFC, and Campbell then drove to the neighboring Taco Bell — the two restaurants shared a parking lot in the 1500 block of South Nevada Avenue. Campbell texted his wife to call 911 as the situation escalated.
The man, David Emmanuel Karels, grabbed Campbell's firearm and fired several rounds inside the vehicle, three of which struck Campbell, with a fourth round aimed at his own head. Both Campbell and Karels died from the shooting. The fatal shooting happened in a car at the Taco Bell parking lot, as reported by The Gazette.
Per the lawsuit, Campbell called 911 at 1:08 p.m., and his wife called at 1:15 p.m. The Gazette previously reported that Tali’Ja Campbell's initial call to law enforcement was classified as a Priority 2 — unknown call for assistance, and that no units were immediately available to respond.
Allegations of Known Danger
Tali’Ja Campbell alleges the shooter had a history of prior arrests and was known to police to frequent the area. Her lawsuit claims Taco Bell failed to use security personnel or other sufficient security measures, and she believes the company may be liable for failing to protect visitors from foreseeable dangers it knew or should have known about. The suit broadly alleges the restaurants failed to take reasonable measures that would guard against and otherwise deter criminal activity on their premises, per the KRDO report.
Figures describing police activity near the restaurants vary depending on the source and time period examined. KRDO's report describes police being called to the area of the Taco Bell and KFC roughly 100 times between March 2022 and September 2024, while The Gazette reported that police received 118 reports of incidents — ranging from disturbances and theft to armed robbery and shootings — at both properties combined between 2022 and 2024, with most occurring at the Taco Bell. These figures cover different time spans, locations, and counting methods, and are not directly comparable.
What Happens Next
With claims against KFC now dismissed and the case against the Taco Bell franchisee revived, the lawsuit continues. Tali’Ja Campbell's complaint alleges negligence and foreseeability.
