Florida city official charged in store shooting caught on video

[rooster59]

Florida city official charged in store shooting caught on video

By Alex Dobuzinskis

 

Michael Dunn (L) holding a gun, struggles with Cristobal Lopez (R) before fatally shooting Lopez at the Vets Army Navy Surplus store in Lakeland, Florida, in this still image from a surveillance video which Lakeland Police Department released on October 15, 2018. Courtesy Lakeland Police Department/Handout via REUTERS

 

(Reuters) - A Florida city commissioner has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder for shooting a man he suspected of trying to shoplift a hatchet from his military surplus store, officials said on Saturday.

 

Michael Dunn, a commissioner in the city of Lakeland between Tampa and Orlando, was acting in self-defense, his attorney told local media. Florida's "stand your ground" law removes the legal responsibility to retreat from a dangerous situation and allows the use of deadly force when a person feels greatly threatened.

 

But prosecutors rejected that explanation for the Oct. 3 shooting and Dunn was arrested at his lawyer's office late on Friday, Lakeland police spokesman Gary Gross said in an email.

 

Brian Haas, state attorney for the 10th district of Florida, told a news conference that on Friday a grand jury indicted Dunn on a charge of second-degree murder.

 

Second-degree murder is less serious than first-degree murder because it does not involve an allegation of pre-meditation. In Florida, a person convicted of the crime still faces a possible maximum sentence of life in prison.

 

Haas told reporters that he found Dunn's actions were not justified under Florida's "stand your ground" legislation.

An attorney for Dunn could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

 

The victim, 50-year-old Cristobal Lopez, had entered the store with his father. Dunn saw Lopez conceal a hatchet and asked him if he planned to pay for it, police said in a statement the day after the shooting.

 

In security camera footage from the store that was made public, Lopez is seen trying to leave with the hatchet while Dunn attempts to pull him back by his shirt with one hand and points a pistol at him with the other. Dunn then shoots Lopez, who falls to the ground.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-10-21

[marko kok prong]

Home of the homicidal.

[connda]

This should be good.  He is restraining a shop-lifter who he then shoots, twice, after the shop-lifter breaks free from his grasp...and his defense?  "I felt threatened." 
Open your hand up and let the guy go and he's no longer a threat.  He was shot as he was trying to run away from the guy with the gun.  But the shooter is a 'somebody', i.e., a county commissioner, i.e., connected.   Even as a gun advocate, I don't condone murder.  Hopefully a jury get's the right in both the criminal and civil court cases.  

 

If a jury comes back with a not-guilty on this one, the Hispanic community in Florida is gonna blow sky-high. 

[guest879]

not his fault, guns shoot people, not commissioners.

[how241]

Sad for all involved.

[atyclb]

shoot the leg or butt as he leaves. or better just let him go and give video to police. not worth the price of a hatchet to go through a very expensive legal process nor the chance of killing someone over a hatchet

Edited October 21, 2018 by atyclb

[marko kok prong]

1 hour ago, how241 said:

Sad for all involved.

Sadder i would suggest for the dead guy,and his family

[marko kok prong]

1 hour ago, atyclb said:

shoot the leg or butt as he leaves. or better just let him go and give video to police. not worth the price of a hatchet to go through a very expensive legal process nor the chance of killing someone over a hatchet

Maybe he was from Texas.The store owner,thought the guy was a comanche grabbin the hatchet and all.

Edited October 21, 2018 by marko kok prong

[how241]

7 minutes ago, marko kok prong said:

Sadder i would suggest for the dead guy,and his family

True, but also not good for the shooter and his family as they will probably spend thousands in legal fees and the shooter will spend years in jail.  All over some hatchet . Sad for all.

[HAKAPALITA]

7 minutes ago, how241 said:

True, but also not good for the shooter and his family as they will probably spend thousands in legal fees and the shooter will spend years in jail.  All over some hatchet . Sad for all.

All over a Thief.

[how241]

6 minutes ago, HAKAPALITA said:

All over a Thief.

Exactly !!!  All over a $5-$10 hatchet.  I'm sure the shooter wishes he just let him go but probably got caught up in the moment. 

[rosst]

4 hours ago, connda said:

This should be good.  He is restraining a shop-lifter who he then shoots, twice, after the shop-lifter breaks free from his grasp...and his defense?  "I felt threatened." 
Open your hand up and let the guy go and he's no longer a threat.  He was shot as he was trying to run away from the guy with the gun.  But the shooter is a 'somebody', i.e., a county commissioner, i.e., connected.   Even as a gun advocate, I don't condone murder.  Hopefully a jury get's the right in both the criminal and civil court cases.  

 

If a jury comes back with a not-guilty on this one, the Hispanic community in Florida is gonna blow sky-high. 

I agree, shoot him in the legs 

[TPI]

4 hours ago, rosst said:

I agree, shoot him in the legs 

You cannot! first of all it takes a person trained and confident of their ability to even take a shot, and secondly, how would the shooter justify the shooting? The thief was fleeing and the photo shows that the shooter was not under threat! I first thought it was an accidental shooting done in the heat of the moment...but two shots! Hard to justify!