A Polk County grand jury has handed up a 2nd degree murder charges against Lakeland City Commissioner Michael Dunn.
Dunn turned himself in to the Polk County Jail Friday afternoon.
Dunn shot and killed a suspected shoplifter from Dunn's Lakeland military surplus store a couple of weeks ago. Dunn maintained that the shooting was in self defense. The suspect, Cristobal Lopez, was accused of stealing a hatchet.
But surveillance video shows Dunn grabbing Lopez as Lopez was rushing out of the front door. The video then shows Dunn pointing his gun at Lopez, then fired a shot.
Polk County State Attorney Brian Haas says that this incident "falls outside" the perimeters of the state's Stand Your Ground law.
(Photo courtesy of the City of Lakeland)