Call Us Today
Call Us Today
Steve Kherkher - June 9, 2026
Most workers never expect a normal day on the job to end suddenly with a helicopter taking them to a trauma center. But that is exactly what happened to Florida landscaper Neftali Madrid Paredes, who was struck by a stray bullet while working in Palm Bay, Florida.
Kherkher Garcia now represents Mr. Madrid Paredes in a stray bullet injury lawsuit alleging that negligent live-fire training operations allowed a projectile to leave a nearby range and strike the innocent worker. The lawsuit seeks accountability for an incident that never should have happened.
Kherkher Garcia represents clients in all manner of work injury claims. If you have been injured on the job, contact our team of work injury attorneys.
According to the complaint filed by Kherkher Garcia, Mr. Madrid Paredes and his coworkers were clearing palm trees from a field on May 22, 2024. The field is adjacent to a police training facility. This particular job is part of their regular work routine, and the workers were aware of the nearby range. They reported regularly hearing gunfire during training exercises. According to the lawsuit, they had never had any safety concerns before.
That day, however, the situation changed. The complaint states that the men began hearing gunfire that sounded closer than usual. They also report projectiles passing overhead and striking nearby palm trees.
When Mr. Madrid Paredes stopped for lunch, he exited the excavator he had been operating and sat down on the ground. According to the lawsuit, he was then struck in the back by a stray projectile.
Mr. Madrid Paredes was airlifted to Holmes Regional Medical Center. Doctors surgically removed a bullet from his left shoulder. According to Kherkher Garcia partner Sadi Antonmattei-Goitia,
“He was lucky as hell that none of his critical organs were hit.”
While Mr. Madrid Paredes is expected to survive the injuries, he has suffered serious physical injuries and emotional trauma.
According to the stray bullet injury lawsuit, members of the U.S. Air Force Reserve’s 308th Rescue Squadron were participating in a weapons familiarization exercise at the Palm Bay training facility. The complaint alleges that the training included various military-style firearms, including AK-47 rifles, M110 rifles, and fully automatic and belt-fed machine guns.
According to reports cited in the lawsuit, some of the personnel participating in the training exercise had never previously fired some of the weapons provided. Investigators later reported that the bullet that struck Mr. Madrid Paredes was a .30-caliber round fired from one of the AK-47 rifles.
The lawsuit also alleges that multiple projectiles may have traveled beyond the confines of the range during the training operation. This would indicate a potentially serious risk to the nearby community.
The lawsuit alleges that those involved in supplying firearms and conducting the training exercises that day failed to ensure that live-fire operations could be conducted safely. Specifically, the complaint alleges the defendants knew or should have known:
The lawsuit further alleges that Mr. Madrid Paredes suffered injuries that were the foreseeable result of unsafe live-fire training operations.
At its core, this lawsuit seeks justice for a worker who suffered serious injuries through no fault of his own. Mr. Madrid Paredes was not participating in the training exercise. He was not handling firearms, and was well outside the boundary of the range. He was simply doing his job in a location he had been to before and felt safe.
Workers in any environment should not have to worry about being struck by gunfire while on a job site. The lawsuit will help determine how a projectile left the training area and reached the location where workers were present. This may further help uncover whether additional safeguards, planning, supervision, or safety measures could have prevented the incident.
Incidents involving serious injuries like these often raise important questions beyond the immediate incident itself. Civil lawsuits can serve an important purpose by helping uncover facts, preserve evidence, and identify negligence that may have contributed to the incident.
For victims, accountability is more than financial compensation. Accountability also means hopefully preventing similar incidents from occurring in the future.
At Kherkher Garcia, we represent individuals whose lives have been changed by preventable acts of negligence. Our attorneys have extensive experience with complex injury cases. We have helped numerous clients with cases involving industrial incidents, workplace-related injuries, defective products, and auto accidents.
Every worker deserves a safe environment. When that safety is compromised, injured individuals deserve skilled advocates who are prepared to fight on their behalf. We are proud to represent Mr. Madrid Paredes as he seeks answers and justice.
Mr. Madrid Paredes is represented by Kherkher Garcia partner and trial lawyer Sadi Antonmattei-Goitia. Sadi has spent nearly two decades advocating for individuals and families whose lives have been changed by serious injuries and preventable tragedies.
Sadi focuses his practice on helping victims suffering life-altering injuries due to negligence. He is passionate about helping families pursue accountability and justice.
As this case moves forward, Sadi and the Kherkher Garcia team remain focused on uncovering the facts and pursuing justice on behalf of Mr. Madrid Paredes.
Kherkher Garcia’s stray bullet injury lawsuit seeks damages for the injuries and losses suffered by Mr. Madrid Paredes. As the case moves forward, the legal process will determine exactly what happened, whether safety failures led to the incident, and who should ultimately be held responsible. Kherkher Garcia is committed to standing up for workers whose lives are forever changed by preventable injuries.
If you or a loved one is suffering serious injuries due to unsafe conditions, negligent operations, or the actions of others, Kherkher Garcia is here to help. Contact us for a free and confidential consultation to learn more about your rights. Call us at 713-333-1030, or submit our online contact form to get started.
Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by attorneys Steve Kherkher and Jesus Garcia Jr., who have more than 50 years of combined legal experience championing the rights of those who have experienced catastrophic injury due to negligence.
Connect with a Kherkher Garcia trial lawyer today to pursue maximum compensation for your injury.
