Two men wearing masks breached the perimeter of a Days Inn in the Orlando area, concealed themselves in a common area of the property, and waited. When a guest passed through, they attacked — stabbing the victim in a premeditated, coordinated assault.

This was not a random crime of opportunity. This was a planned ambush. And the fact that two masked individuals were able to enter the property, evade detection, hide in a shared space, and carry out a violent attack raises serious questions about the hotel's security measures — questions that go far beyond the criminal case against the attackers.

At Juan Cordero Lawyers, we have recovered millions of dollars for victims of violent crimes at Florida hotels, motels, and commercial properties — including landmark negligent security verdicts in cases where property owners failed to prevent foreseeable attacks. If you or a loved one was injured in this incident or a similar attack at a Florida hotel, you may have a civil claim against the property itself.

According to the facts of the incident, two individuals:

• Circumvented the property's perimeter — bypassing whatever access controls or barriers were in place
• Wore masks — indicating the attack was premeditated and the perpetrators were concealing their identities
• Concealed themselves in a common area of the hotel — a space that guests have a right to use safely
• Waited and ambushed a guest — carrying out a coordinated stabbing attack

The deliberate nature of this attack — the planning, the disguises, the perimeter breach, the concealment — is precisely the kind of scenario that adequate hotel security is designed to prevent. Functioning perimeter controls, monitored security cameras, adequate lighting, and security personnel patrolling common areas exist for exactly this reason: to detect and deter individuals who intend to harm guests.

When those measures are absent, inadequate, or non-functional, the property has failed its guests.

Yes — potentially. Under Florida premises liability law, hotels owe their guests the highest duty of care recognized under the law. Guests are classified as business invitees, and the property owner must:

1. Maintain reasonably safe conditions throughout the property — including parking lots, hallways, stairwells, and common areas
2. Take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm — including foreseeable criminal acts by third parties
3. Warn guests of known dangers that are not obvious

The critical legal question in a case like this is foreseeability: was it reasonably foreseeable that someone could breach the perimeter, hide in a common area, and attack a guest?

Florida courts have consistently held that a property owner can be liable for a third party's criminal act when the crime was foreseeable. Evidence used to establish foreseeability includes:

• Prior criminal incidents at the same property — assaults, robberies, trespassing, prior stabbings or shootings
• Prior police calls to the property (obtainable through public records requests to the Orlando Police Department or Orange County Sheriff's Office)
• Crime statistics for the surrounding area
• The property's own internal incident reports and security logs
• Whether management had received prior complaints about perimeter breaches, trespassers, or safety concerns

If this Days Inn had a documented history of criminal activity — or if the surrounding area had a known crime problem — and the hotel still failed to maintain adequate perimeter security, functioning cameras, and monitored common areas, that is powerful evidence of negligence.

What makes this incident particularly significant from a legal standpoint is the perimeter breach. The two attackers did not simply walk through an unlocked front door — they circumvented the property's perimeter entirely.

This points to specific, identifiable security failures:

Hotels and motels are required to maintain reasonable access controls. Depending on the property's layout and crime history, this may include:

• Fencing or barriers that prevent unauthorized entry from adjacent properties or public areas
• Controlled access points — gates, doors, or checkpoints that restrict who can enter the property
• Adequate lighting along the perimeter so that unauthorized individuals cannot approach undetected
• Security cameras covering perimeter entry points with active monitoring or recorded footage

If the Days Inn's perimeter could be breached without triggering any detection or response, that is a direct security failure.

The attackers were able to hide in a common area — a space that should be regularly monitored and patrolled. Common areas of a hotel include lobbies, hallways, stairwells, laundry rooms, vending areas, pool areas, and exterior walkways. These are spaces where guests have every right to feel safe.

If the hotel had functioning security cameras in its common areas, those cameras should have detected two masked individuals concealing themselves and triggered a response. If the cameras were non-functional, not monitored, or simply absent — that is negligence.

A hotel with a documented crime history — or one located in an area with elevated crime — has a heightened duty to employ security personnel or contract with a security company. A security guard patrolling common areas would likely have detected two masked individuals hiding and waiting to attack a guest.

The absence of security personnel in a high-risk environment is one of the most common failures we see in negligent security cases.

A negligent security claim is a form of premises liability — a civil lawsuit brought against a property owner for failing to provide adequate security, which allowed a foreseeable violent crime to occur.

It is entirely separate from the criminal case against the attackers. Even if the perpetrators are arrested, charged, and convicted, the victim can still bring a civil lawsuit against the Days Inn and its ownership or management company.

In a negligent security claim, the victim must prove:

1. The property owner owed a duty of care to the victim (guests at a hotel are owed the highest duty)
2. The property owner breached that duty by failing to maintain adequate security
3. The breach caused the victim's injuries — the inadequate security allowed the attack to occur
4. The victim suffered damages — physical injuries, medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, emotional trauma

The damages in a stabbing case can be substantial. Stab wounds often require emergency surgery, hospitalization, and extended recovery. Victims frequently suffer permanent scarring, nerve damage, and lasting psychological trauma including PTSD. All of these are compensable in a civil lawsuit.

The fact that the attackers wore masks is legally significant. Masks indicate premeditation — these individuals planned the attack in advance and took deliberate steps to conceal their identities. This is not a spontaneous altercation; it is a coordinated criminal operation.

From a negligent security standpoint, premeditated attacks are often more foreseeable, not less. If a property has a history of criminal activity, it is entirely foreseeable that someone might plan a targeted attack on a guest. The hotel's security measures should be designed to detect and deter exactly this kind of threat.

The masks also suggest the attackers were aware of the hotel's camera system — or lack thereof. If they were confident enough to conceal themselves in a common area without fear of being identified on camera, that tells us something important about the state of the property's surveillance infrastructure.

If you or a loved one was the victim of this attack, the following evidence is critical and must be preserved as quickly as possible:

• Security camera footage from the Days Inn — including perimeter cameras, common area cameras, and any cameras covering the attack location. Hotels routinely overwrite footage on a rolling basis, often within 30 to 72 hours. An attorney can send a litigation hold letter demanding preservation immediately.
• Police reports and incident reports from the responding agency (Orlando Police Department or Orange County Sheriff's Office)
• Prior police call logs to the Days Inn — obtainable through a public records request
• The hotel's internal incident reports and security logs
• Maintenance records for security equipment — cameras, locks, lighting, perimeter barriers
• Medical records documenting the victim's injuries, treatment, and prognosis
• Witness statements from other guests or hotel employees who observed the attackers or the attack

Time is critical. The longer you wait, the greater the risk that footage is overwritten, witnesses become unavailable, and physical evidence is lost.

In Florida, the statute of limitations for a personal injury claim — including a negligent security claim — is two years from the date of the injury under the 2023 amendment to Florida Statute § 95.11. Missing this deadline means losing the right to sue entirely, regardless of how strong the case is.

However, do not wait two years. The most critical evidence — security camera footage — may be gone within days. Contact an attorney immediately.

We are a Florida personal injury law firm with a proven record in negligent security cases. Our results include some of the largest negligent security verdicts in Florida history:

• $28.9 million — Negligent security (lead counsel)
• $15.1 million — Negligent security (lead counsel)
• $10.1 million — Negligent security (lead counsel)

See our full verdicts and settlements →

We handle negligent security cases on a contingency fee basis — you pay nothing unless we win. We advance all costs of litigation. There is no fee for an initial consultation.

If you or a loved one was stabbed or attacked at a Days Inn or any other Florida hotel or motel, call us now at (305) 525-8957 or use our contact form. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Can I sue the Days Inn if I was stabbed by someone else on their property?

Yes. Florida premises liability law allows victims of violent crimes to bring civil claims against property owners when the owner's failure to provide adequate security contributed to the attack. The civil case is separate from any criminal prosecution of the attacker.

What if the attackers haven't been caught yet?

You can still pursue a civil claim against the hotel. The negligent security claim is against the property owner — not the attackers — and does not depend on the outcome of the criminal case.

How long do I have to file a claim in Florida?

Two years from the date of injury under Florida Statute § 95.11. However, critical evidence like security camera footage may be overwritten within days. Contact an attorney immediately.

What damages can I recover in a negligent security case?

Compensable damages include medical expenses (past and future), lost wages and earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress and PTSD, permanent scarring or disfigurement, and in wrongful death cases, the full range of survivor damages.

Does Juan Cordero Lawyers handle cases outside Miami?

Yes. We handle negligent security cases throughout Florida, including Orlando, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and all surrounding areas.