A family has filed an amended lawsuit against the Miami Police Department (MPD) after a woman was killed by a stray bullet during a shootout in June 2025. Evelyn Valdes, 28, was in the back seat of an SUV celebrating her birthday in Miami's Wynwood neighborhood when she was struck by police gunfire.
The incident occurred on June 14, 2025, when officers engaged in a shootout with Norman Lindo, who was armed. Bodycam footage shows officers firing approximately 14 shots at Lindo. Unbeknownst to the officers at the time, Valdes, a passenger in a nearby vehicle, was also hit.
Valdes was transported to a hospital where she was later pronounced dead. Another bystander sustained injuries in the shooting. Lindo was killed by police during the confrontation.
The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office cleared three officers involved in the shooting two weeks prior to the lawsuit's amendment. However, the family's lawyer, Ray Rasco, alleges that MPD Sgt. Javier Herbello and Officer Dorian Acosta opened fire without issuing verbal warnings or attempting de-escalation tactics. "Yes, there was an individual with a gun, but the videos show they started shooting at him without using any de-escalatory tactics, they did not ask him to drop his weapon, to put down his weapon, to cease and desist," Rasco stated.
The State Attorney’s Office has contested these claims, asserting that officers did instruct Lindo to drop his weapon. The bodycam footage's audio was reportedly muted during the initial moments of the incident and became audible only after shots were fired, with the State Attorney’s Office explaining the camera was on mute at that point.
Valdes's brother, Jose, described his sister's death as "collateral damage," arguing that the firearm was never pointed at anyone and that the officers' actions were unjustified. He expressed concerns that authorities are attempting to cover up the circumstances of the shooting to protect the involved officers.
Valdes is remembered as someone who "loved deeply, gave freely, and made everyone feel like they mattered." Her mother, Kristy Garcia, accused the officers of acting out of fear, which ultimately endangered civilians like her daughter. "They shot because they were scared for their lives and lives of civilians, but what about my daughter? My daughter was a civilian, too, and they killed her, not the suspect, so I’m angry, yes, it’s wrong, it’s definitely a coverup and it’s sad that the system has failed us," Garcia said.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Miami Police Department and the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office for comment.