Lakeland City Commissioner arrested on murder charges

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)


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