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An X-Ray of the bullet in Kyle McFarlane's spine (L); Kyle McFarlane with his dog (R)
A man in Florida was left partially paralyzed after an incident his friends call "a violent crime perpetrated by a hate-filled neighbor."
A man in Jacksonville, Florida was left partially paralyzed last month when an ongoing feud — which previously saw his home vandalized with anti-LGBTQ+ slurs and feces — resulted in his neighbor allegedly shooting him.
Kyle McFarlane, a resident of Murray Hill, was picking up furniture that had been abandoned near his home on November 22 when the couple who live next-door came outside and berated him for being on their property, according to a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrest report via First Coast News. The woman reportedly threatened McFarlane with a belt before her boyfriend, identified as Tyler Getchell, fired at him and struck him in the back.
McFarlane was not on the couple's private property, as video obtained by law enforcement showed that he was in the easement at the time of the confrontation. Records also show that McFarlane had reported harassment from his neighbors before, including feces being smeared on his home walls and signs with anti-gay and anti-transgender slurs being posted to face his window.
A GoFundMe has been launched to help pay McFarlane's medical and living expenses. Organizer Emily Painter, a friend of McFarlane, called the shooting "a violent crime perpetrated by a hate-filled neighbor," while detailing what his road to recovery looks like.
Painter said that the bullet is lodged in McFarlane's spine at the level of L4 and is in-operable, meaning it cannot be removed. This has affected his ability to walk, as well as his bowel and bladder function. He now requires "intensive physical therapy" and is not able to work to support himself or his pets for the "foreseeable future."
"Kyle needs our community's support as he embarks on this road to recovery — if you are able to help, any amount makes a difference!" Painter wrote.
Getchell is charged with attempted murder, and is being held in the Duval County Jail until his next hearing on December 16. His girlfriend has not been charged with a crime, and police have not yet determined if the shooting constitutes a hate crime.
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