A Florida man collecting discarded furniture for a bonfire at his house was shot in the back days before Thanksgiving in Jacksonville, Florida. The victim’s friends are calling it a hate crime.

Kyle McFarlane was nearly killed in the November 22 shooting in which McFarlane’s next-door neighbor, Tyler Getchell, fired a single round at McFarlane that hit him in the back, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said.

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The bullet lodged next to McFarlane’s lower spine, paralyzing him. He’s unable to walk, and his bowel and bladder function are affected. Doctors say, with time and intensive physical therapy, McFarlane may be able to recover some motor functions. But due to the location of the bullet on his spine’s vertebrae, it’s inoperable.

Officers responded to reports of gunfire on the Saturday afternoon before Thanksgiving and found McFarlane incapacitated with the gunshot to his back. Getchell was taken into custody.

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The shooting was the culmination of a long-running dispute that Getchell and his girlfriend had with McFarlane, police records show and McFarlane’s friends confirm.

McFarlane reported repeated harassment from his neighbors to cops before the day of the shooting. Feces were smeared on his house walls, and signs with gay and transgender slurs were posted in windows in Getchell’s house facing McFarlane’s.

One read “F*ck you tr*nny f*g” in large block letters, First Coast News reports.

Interviews with witnesses — including Getchell’s girlfriend, who has not been charged with a crime — indicate Getchell and the woman confronted McFarlane when he was collecting the debris intended for his bonfire, claiming he was on their property.

Based on video of the incident, police confirmed that McFarlane was on a property easement and within his rights to pick up the trash.

Despite the same explanation from McFarlane, in a heated exchange between the neighbors, Getchell’s girlfriend came at McFarlane with a belt, witnesses said. Moments later, Getchell fired the single round into McFarlane’s back.

Getchell is charged with attempted murder and is being held in the Duval County Jail. His next court appearance is on December 16.

Prosecutors have yet to designate the shooting as a hate crime.

Friends and supporters of McFarlane describe him as “the victim of a violent crime perpetrated by a hate-filled neighbor.” They’ve launched a GoFundMe campaign to support him.  

“He will have a long road to recovery and healing which will require intensive physical therapy! He unfortunately will be unable to work to support himself and his beloved animals 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! Thank you!”

The day after Thanksgiving, friends arranged a short visit at the hospital from McFarlane’s “sweet puppy”, Pickle.

“He was so happy and he is very thankful for the support,” they said.

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