Florida city commissioner charged with murder for shooting alleged shoplifter
Source: CBS News
A Lakeland, Florida, city commissioner is facing a second-degree murder charge in the fatal shooting of an alleged shoplifter at his military surplus store Oct. 3. Michael Dunn, who was inaugurated to a four-year term in office in January, appeared in court Monday to request bond, CBS affiliate WTSP reports.
Dunn was booked into Polk County Jail on Friday night without bond after a Polk County grand jury indicted him for second-degree murder. Several days earlier, the State Attorney's Office had released surveillance footage of Dunn's encounter with Christobal Lopez, 50, who was shopping with his father at the Vet Army Navy Surplus store.
According to a police affidavit, the video shows Lopez take a hatchet and hide it under this clothing before being confronted by Dunn. The affidavit states that Dunn saw Lopez take the hatchet and questioned him about paying for it. Then the item fell down Lopez's pants, at which point, according to witnesses, Lopez said, "I will pay! I will pay!" But he didn't and tried to hastily exit from the store.
The video shows Dunn, who at this point is armed with a gun, grabbing Lopez by the shirt as he attempted to walk out the door. Dunn then raised his gun and fired the weapon, striking Lopez two times. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lakeland-florida-michael-dunn-city-commissioner-christobal-lopez-polk-county/
According to the article Dunn was never verbally threatened by the victim, and never gave aid to the victim.
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