State Sued in Fairview Center Shooting Spree

The managers of the Fairview Developmental Center were negligent for not anticipating a murderous shooting spree by one of its employees last year, two lawsuits filed in Orange County Superior Court on Wednesday allege.

“This rampage was foreseeable,” the suits contend.

One suit was filed by a man shot in the head during the July 30, 1991, attack, and the other was filed by the family of a man killed by the gunman.

The suits, which seek unspecified damages, allege that the managers of the state hospital in Costa Mesa had “ample” warning that the gunman was dangerous.

Michael E. Rahming, who was employed at the hospital as a painter, has been charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with the shooting spree. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and awaits trial.

On the morning of the shooting, authorities allege that Rahming armed himself with a handgun and went looking for victims. As several horrified co-workers watched, Rahming shot two of his supervisors, killing Allen R. Motis, and seriously wounding James H. Pichon, authorities say.

Rahming then allegedly tried to shoot another employee but missed. He reportedly reloaded his gun and shot and wounded hospital director Hugh Kohler.

According to hospital officials, the 39-year-old defendant had a history of run-ins with his supervisors at the state hospital over his claims of racism and harassment.

The two suits, which were filed by Pichon and the family of Motis, allege that Rahming had threatened to “hit or cut people” before the attack. The executive director at the hospital was even warned by an employee that Rahming might kill someone, according to the suits.

The suits further contend:

* Rahming once threw a chair at his supervisor while alleging devil-worship or satanic rituals among his co-workers.

* A year before the attack, a psychiatrist told hospital officials that Rahming posed “an above-average risk” to act out in a destructive manner.

* Rahming was formally counseled with “respect to continuing insubordination, absenteeism, leaving the work site and shouting at and confronting co-workers.”

“Though Fairview’s managing agents repeatedly had been warned that Rahming was a violent, raging, paranoiac, they ignored the advice of at least two competent psychiatrists to remove him from his work environment, opting instead to permit (him) to continue to interact with the public,” the lawsuits allege.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs and Rahming could not be reached late Wednesday.