The Dededo shooting range that was forced to shut down almost two years ago is suing Department of Revenue & Taxation acting director Marie Lizama and 20 others. The owner is seeking $1 million in damages and a trial by jury.

$1 million and a trial by jury is what the former Dededo Shooting Range is suing Lizama and 20 other unnamed defendants over. A civil lawsuit filed in the District Court of Guam names ‘interface’ as the plaintiff - the corporation that has been doing business as Sportsland Shooting Range for five years. 

They invested more than $1 million to open the range and provided a “safe facility for law enforcement, military personnel, tourists and citizens to engage in, train in, compete in and obtain certification for firearm activities." But as you may recall, they were forced to shut down in august 2023 after drt did not renew their business license “without due process.”

Sportsland owner John Sablan has been fighting to save the family business, even participating in a roundtable discussion hosted by the attorney general.  Since then, the lawsuit states the defendant’s failure or refusal to renew the license led to multiple damages and losses. 

They include complete economic loss of its property interests, lost revenues, lost projected revenues, total loss of and closure of its business, foreclosure on the property by its lender, deprivation of its property without compensation, resulting liabilities including rents, mortgage payments and loan payments, costs, expense and attorneys’ fees, and loss of interest. 

Lizama is being sued in her official capacity as a government official for violating violating interface’s constitutional, organic, civil and legal rights. 

The agency has since denied the allegations and in its response asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit. 

A hearing is set for April 29 before Magistrage Judge Michael Bordallo in federal court.