Lawsuit filed against Aventura Police for fatal shooting of man at hair salon

The family of a man shot and killed by the Aventura Police Department at a salon where his wife worked filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the agency, claiming the man’s death was unwarranted, a violation of his human rights and caused by negligence.

Troy Cannata, 35, was shot and killed at RH Salon in Aventura on July 10, 2025, by an officer identified only as K.R. in the lawsuit. The shooting was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, as is the case with all police-involved shootings.

But, according to the lawsuit filed on Monday, the FDLE finished its investigation into the shooting on October 27, 2025, and said it would be turning over the file to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office. Despite requests from the attorneys of Cannata’s wife, Stephanie, to “provide any meaningful information or to announce a determination about the nature of any discipline or indictments to follow,” the lawsuit claims the SAO has failed to do so.

In her over 30 years in office, State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle has never charged a police officer for an on-duty fatal shooting.

What led to the deadly shooting?

Stephanie Cannata worked as a stylist at RH Salon, but salon owner Shuki Avino was causing tension in the Cannata marriage, according to the lawsuit.

“The night before he was shot, Stephanie and Troy discussed ongoing concerns they had regarding Avino’s treatment of women who worked at the salon,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit claims the women who worked at the salon were under constant video surveillance

“Although Troy understood that Stephanie and Avino were not sexually or romantically involved, he feared that Stephanie was exposed to unwarranted risk at the salon and wanted Stephanie to quit,” the lawsuit reads. Though Stephanie was hesitant because she was concerned about her family’s finances. She and Cannata had two children. The suit does not specify what the unwarranted risk was.

Stephanie had called out of work the day Cannata was killed, telling the salon she had been up all night with her daughter. Meanwhile, Cannata texted Avino that he was coming to the salon to meet him. The salon later messaged Stephanie to say her husband’s texts were threatening, according to the lawsuit.

By the time Cannata arrived, police had already been called and were waiting for him. He was apprehended by police and put in a squad car before being able to talk to Avino, according to the lawsuit. But police let Avino spit on Cannata, according to the lawsuit.

Cannata was taken to the Aventura Brightline Station, where his handcuffs were taken off and he was left there by police.

Stephanie was then sent a message from the salon telling her there was a “difficult and unclear situation” and to take the next five days off and that they could discuss her future at the salon once “everything is calmer.”

“Shuki received harassing messages and threats from him,” a message to Stephanie read after she asked what Cannata did.

Cannata walked back to the salon parking lot to get his car and posted a Yelp review with a picture of his handcuff marks to let “people know that if you complain to the salon owner about his behavior, that is how you would be treated,” according to the lawsuit.

When Cannata arrived back at the salon, he and Avino got into a fistfight, according to the lawsuit.

An officer arrived and shot Cannata while he and Avino were exchanging punches on the floor, according to the lawsuit.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue paramedics were dispatched at 1:43 p.m., according to the lawsuit.

“When we arrived to the patient, he was unresponsive in a pool of blood. His head was bandaged and his hands were behind his back in handcuffs. Aventura PD was performing CPR,” paramedics wrote in their account, according to the lawsuit.

Paramedics were told by police that Cannata had a gunshot wound to the head, but doctors at HCA Florida Aventura Hospital later confirmed three gunshot wounds, including an entry and exit wound in the right shoulder blade and a wound in the leg, according to the lawsuit.

“Because there has been no closure from the Miami-Dade State Attorney Office, [Stephanie] has not been provided the autopsy report or photographs,” the lawsuit reads, adding that Cannata was clearly shot from behind, though did not elaborate on this claim.

Steadman Stahl — president of the South Florida PBA, which represents officers in the Aventura Police Department — released a statement after the shooting. He called Cannata the husband of a “former employee” and said the “officer had no other choice but to fire.” Stahl also stated that Cannata also almost beat Avino unconscious.

Though the lawsuit seemingly tries to debunk this by saying that right after the shooting “Avino took one of the stylists to get gelato, which they then ate in the salon amongst coworkers who did not observe any significant injury to Avino. ”

The suit also claims that workers and friends have told Stephanie that Cannata was unarmed and there was no warning from the officer and that the shooting “seemed completely unwarranted.”

While the officer involved is not fully named in the suit, it does detail that she began “her career with APD as a one of the seminal ‘Mall Squad’ officers, tasked with securing the commercial businesses at the Aventura Mall.”

The lawsuit claims that instead of trying to deescalate a fistfight, officers instead chose to act as Avino’s “bodyguards” and “use excessive force.”

The lawsuit seeks “medical and funeral expenses and the loss of net accumulations” and damages from the loss of Cannata’s companionship and protection for Stephanie and her son and daughter as well as for mental pain, suffering and loss of support and services.

The Aventura Police Department and RH Salon declined to comment when reached by the Miami Herald on Wednesday.

15-year anniversary

On Oct. 29, 2025, Stephanie uploaded a post to instagram commemorating what would have been her and Cannata’s 15-year anniversary.

“The past few months have been the hardest of my life. I’ve been quiet here, trying to navigate my new reality — a world without Troy,” she wrote. “Every day, the weight of his absence settles in a little more. Every day, I look at our kids and wonder how we’re supposed to live our lives without him. How I’m supposed to raise them without him. It still feels like a nightmare I can’t wake up from.”

Stephanie wrote that their two children have been the source of her strength and that they were Cannata’s greatest pride and joy.

“Troy loved so deeply, and I will treasure that love forever. His favorite quote, ‘Love the life you live, live the life you love,’ will always guide me as | try to honor him in all that I do,” she wrote.

This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 2:34 PM.