Shootings at Florida hotels and motels make headlines with disturbing regularity — from Jacksonville to Miami, from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale. In June 2026 alone, a man was found dead inside a Jacksonville motel room, with JSO confirming two suspects and an active investigation still underway.

But here is what most victims and families never hear from the news coverage: the hotel or motel itself may be legally responsible — and a civil lawsuit against the property can be filed entirely separately from the criminal case against the shooter.

At Juan Cordero Lawyers, we have won some of the largest negligent security verdicts in Florida history. If you or someone you love was shot, assaulted, or killed at a Florida hotel or motel, this guide explains your rights and what to do next.

Florida's hospitality industry is massive — tens of thousands of hotels, motels, extended-stay properties, and short-term rentals operate across the state. Many of them, particularly budget and mid-range properties, are located in high-traffic corridors with documented histories of criminal activity.

Property owners know this. They have access to:

• Local crime statistics published by law enforcement agencies
• Their own incident logs — every call to the front desk, every police response to the property
• Insurance risk assessments that flag high-crime locations
• Industry security standards that specify what properties in certain areas should have in place

When a hotel or motel sits in a high-crime area and still fails to install adequate lighting, functioning locks, security cameras, or on-site security personnel — and a guest is shot as a result — that is not just bad luck. That is negligence.

Under Florida premises liability law, hotels and motels are classified as business invitees — the highest duty of care owed to any visitor. This means the property owner must:

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

That last point is critical. Florida courts have consistently held that a property owner can be liable for a third party's criminal act if the crime was foreseeable. Foreseeability is established through evidence such as:

• Prior shootings, robberies, or assaults at the same property
• Prior police calls to the property (obtainable through public records requests)
• Crime data for the surrounding neighborhood
• The property's own internal incident reports

The landmark Florida case Holiday Inns, Inc. v. Shelburne established that hotels have a heightened duty to protect guests from criminal attack when prior incidents put them on notice. More recently, Varone v. Publix reinforced that foreseeability is not just about identical prior crimes — it is about whether any prior criminal activity should have put the owner on alert.

When we investigate a hotel or motel shooting, we look for evidence of these specific failures:

Room doors, deadbolts, sliding glass doors, and connecting room doors that do not lock properly are among the most common security failures. A guest who cannot secure their room is a sitting target.

Parking lots, exterior walkways, stairwells, and corridors that are poorly lit create cover for criminal activity. Industry standards require minimum foot-candle levels in these areas — many budget properties fall far short.

Properties in high-crime areas that operate without any security staff — especially during overnight hours — are failing their guests. This is particularly true for extended-stay motels and budget properties that attract long-term residents alongside transient guests.

CCTV systems that are broken, pointed the wrong direction, or simply never installed leave no deterrent and no evidence trail. A property that cannot produce footage after a shooting often has a surveillance system that was never maintained.

Properties that allow non-guests to freely access guest room floors, stairwells, and corridors without any access control create dangerous conditions. Key card systems, staffed front desks, and locked stairwell doors are basic countermeasures.

Perhaps the most damning evidence in a negligent security case: a property that had prior shootings, robberies, or violent incidents on record — and did nothing to improve security afterward. This pattern of inaction is powerful evidence of gross negligence.

The Jacksonville motel shooting in June 2026 is not an isolated incident. Florida has seen a wave of hotel and motel shootings in recent years:

• Jacksonville, June 2026 — Man found dead in motel room; JSO identifies two shooters, one still at large as of initial reporting
• Orlando — Multiple apartment complex and extended-stay motel shootings have raised questions about security protocols at budget properties near major tourist corridors
• Miami-Dade and Broward — Shootings at budget motels along US-1 and State Road 7 corridors have resulted in multiple fatalities and civil lawsuits

In each of these cases, the central question is the same: did the property know — or should it have known — that violent crime was a foreseeable risk, and did it fail to take reasonable steps to prevent it?

Many families assume they must wait for the criminal case to conclude before pursuing a civil claim. This is not true.

The criminal case and the civil negligent security case are entirely separate proceedings:

You do not need a criminal conviction — or even an arrest — to win a civil negligent security case. The civil case focuses on the property owner's conduct, not the shooter's.

Depending on whether the victim survived or was killed, recoverable damages may include:

For surviving victims:

• Medical expenses (past and future)
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress and PTSD
• Scarring and disfigurement

For families of victims who were killed (wrongful death):

• Funeral and burial costs
• Lost financial support the deceased would have provided
• Loss of companionship, guidance, and parental support
• Mental pain and suffering of surviving family members
• Punitive damages in cases of egregious negligence

Florida's Wrongful Death Act governs who may bring a claim on behalf of a deceased victim. The personal representative of the estate files the lawsuit, with proceeds distributed to eligible survivors including spouses, children, and parents.

Juan Cordero Lawyers has recovered millions of dollars for victims of negligent security throughout Florida — including landmark verdicts and settlements in hotel and motel shooting cases, apartment complex shootings, and commercial property assaults. See our full verdicts and results →

These recoveries were built on the same foundation: thorough investigation, expert testimony, and an unrelenting commitment to holding property owners accountable for the harm their negligence caused.

Time is the enemy in a negligent security case. Surveillance footage is overwritten in as little as 24–72 hours. Witnesses disappear. Employees move on. Evidence is lost.

When you contact us, we move fast:

1. Evidence Preservation Letter We immediately send a legal hold letter to the property demanding they preserve all surveillance footage, maintenance records, security logs, incident reports, and employee records. This letter creates legal liability if they destroy evidence after receiving it.

2. Public Records Requests We pull every police call to the property going back years — through JSO, Miami-Dade PD, Broward Sheriff's Office, or whichever agency has jurisdiction. Prior calls are the backbone of a foreseeability argument.

3. Security Expert Retention We work with former law enforcement officers and certified security professionals who can evaluate what the property should have had in place — and testify to the jury about the gap between industry standards and what actually existed.

4. Ownership Investigation Hotels and motels are often owned by holding companies, LLCs, or franchisees. We trace the full ownership and management chain to ensure every responsible party is named in the lawsuit.

5. Scene Documentation We photograph and document the property — lighting levels, lock conditions, camera placement, access control — before anything is repaired or upgraded.

Can I sue the hotel even if the shooter hasn't been caught? Yes. The civil case is against the property owner, not the shooter. You do not need an arrest or conviction to pursue a negligent security claim.

What if my loved one was partly at fault — for example, they let the shooter into the room? Florida uses a modified comparative negligence standard. Even if the victim shared some responsibility, the property owner can still be held liable for their portion of fault. An attorney can evaluate the specific facts of your case.

How long do I have to file? Under Florida's statute of limitations, most negligent security claims must be filed within two years of the incident. Wrongful death claims also carry a two-year deadline. Do not wait — evidence disappears and deadlines are absolute.

Does it cost anything to hire you? No. We handle all negligent security cases on a contingency fee basis: you pay nothing unless we win. There are no upfront costs and no fees if we do not recover for you.

If you or a loved one was shot, assaulted, or killed at a Florida hotel or motel, you may have a powerful legal claim against the property. The sooner you call, the better your chances of preserving the evidence needed to win.

Juan Cordero Lawyers — Available 24/7

📞 305-525-8957 (Miami & Statewide) 📞 772-227-0577 (Treasure Coast)

We serve clients in Jacksonville, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Stuart, Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce, Orlando, Tampa, and throughout Florida.

The information in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this article does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you have a legal matter, please contact our office directly.

Related Reading:

• Why You Need Florida's Best Negligent Security Lawyers — CPTED-Trained, DCA-Ready, and Built to Beat the Foreseeability Defense
• Varone v. Publix: What Is Foreseeability in Florida Negligent Security Cases?
• Jacksonville Motel Shooting: 1 Shooter Found, 1 Still Sought by JSO
• Jacksonville Hotel Shooting: What Families Need to Know
• What Is Negligent Security and When Can You Sue in Florida?