The family of Evelyn Valdez, who tragically lost her life on her 28th birthday due to a police shooting in Wynwood, met with the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office on Friday. According to CBS Miami, they emerged from the meeting with little hope that the officers involved would face criminal charges.
"All I want is justice for my daughter," expressed Kristy Garcia, Valdez's mother, after the meeting concluded.
Ramon Rasco, the family’s attorney, was more explicit about their expectations: "We assume the officers involved in the shooting will not be prosecuted. However, no final decision has been made yet."
The State Attorney’s Office confirmed the meeting with the family but stated that the case is still officially under review.
The Tragic Incident in Wynwood
Valdez was celebrating her 28th birthday with three friends in Wynwood on the early morning of June 14, 2025, when she was fatally shot.
She was seated in the back of a Mazda CX-5 parked in front of the Electric Lady nightclub when a brawl that began inside spilled onto the street.
Miami Police Sergeant Javier Herbello and Officer Dorian Acosta fired shots at 30-year-old Norman Lindo Jr., who was armed.
Lindo was killed instantly; a bullet also struck Valdez in the torso.
Both were transported to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where Valdez succumbed to her injuries approximately twenty minutes later.
Legal Actions and Community Impact
Rasco highlighted the dangerous nature of the shooting: "The argument is that they acted recklessly. Eleven or twelve shots were fired on a crowded Wynwood street at 3 a.m., during the peak time when clubs were closing."
The civil lawsuit filed by the family in federal court claims that officers fired at an angle of about 180 degrees across the crowded street without warning. It also alleges that it took more than thirty minutes for Valdez to reach the hospital, which was just 2.1 kilometers away.
Garcia spoke of her daughter with heartfelt emotion: "She was my world. She was my firstborn and the first in my family to attend college."
Valdez held both a bachelor's and a master's degree in Social Work from Barry University and was working as a social worker at Baptist Health.
In July 2026, the family filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Miami, the two officers, VIP Management Team Corp., and the Electric Lady club operator, citing excessive force and systemic shortcomings in police training.
Ongoing Debate on Police Accountability
This case is part of a longstanding debate over police accountability in Miami. State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle, who has been in office since 1993, did not file charges against any officer for a death in a police shooting during her first 27 years in the role.
The family anticipates that prosecutors might announce a final decision next Tuesday, but the civil lawsuit will proceed regardless of the criminal case's outcome.
"I'm tired of waiting," stated Garcia, who has been seeking accountability for over 16 months regarding her daughter's death.
FAQs on Police-Involved Shooting in Wynwood
What happened to Evelyn Valdez?
Evelyn Valdez was killed by a police bullet on her 28th birthday while celebrating in Wynwood. She was caught in crossfire when police fired at an armed suspect.
Have the officers involved been charged?
As of now, no charges have been filed against the officers involved in the shooting of Evelyn Valdez. The case is still under review.
What legal actions have been taken by Valdez's family?
Valdez's family filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Miami, the officers, a security firm, and the nightclub operator, alleging excessive force and inadequate police training.