FL – Christobal Lopez, 50, fatally shot by city commissioner, Lakeland, 3 OCT 2018 *ARREST*

[SeesSeas]

Lakeland city commissioner charged with murder in shooting of man he suspected of shoplifting
7:10 PM, Oct 19, 2018
LAKELAND, Fla. — Lakeland County Commissioner Michael Dunn has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder after he fatally shot a suspected shoplifter.
[...]

Lakeland commissioner charged with murder in shooting of suspected shoplifter
Updated: October 19, 2018 at 07:23 PM
LAKELAND — A Lakeland city commissioner surrendered Friday to face a second-degree murder charge in the Oct. 3 fatal shooting of a suspected shoplifter at a military surplus store.

Michael Dunn, who has served on the City Commission since January, arrived at the Polk County Jail in Bartow shortly after 6 p.m., accompanied by detectives in an unmarked car.

At a news conference a half-hour later, Polk State Attorney Brian Haas said he doesn’t believe the killing of 50-year-old Christobal Lopez was premeditated. But he also doesn’t see grounds for a self-defense claim. So he took the matter to a grand jury, which indicted Dunn.
[...]

Lakeland city commissioner could be charged in shooting death of Christobal Lopez
Video shows Florida city commissioner shooting accused shoplifter dead
Officials Release Video of Florida City Commissioner Who Fatally Shot Man

 

[SeesSeas]

https://www.robartsfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Christobal-Lopez/#!/Obituary
Obituary for Christobal Lopez
Christobal Lopez, 50, of Wauchula, passed away in Lakeland on Wednesday, October 3, 2018. Born in Arcadia on May 13, 1968, he had lived most of his life in Hardee County. He was a Catholic and worked as a laborer in agriculture.

 

[SeesSeas]

Stephanie Claytor on Twitter
Stephanie Claytor‏ @ClaytorReports
Here is Commissioner #MichaelDunn mugshot. A grand jury indicted him on a second degree murder charge.A judge gave him no bond. He was booked into the Polk County Jail around 6 today. He’s accused of shooting & killing suspected shoplifter Christobal Lopez at his store. @BN9

4:26 PM - 19 Oct 2018

 

[silverjug]

My word, this is dreadful, the man who was shot did not put up much resistance at all. Whilst I agree shoplifting is wrong, after watching the video I am stunned.

 

[cluciano63]

Good, he should be charged. This is not (supposed to be) a country where people are killed for attempted shoplifting. Out of control.

 

[RoiPD86]

The man had shot and wounded another man years ago in an unrelated incident and now this? He is a city commissioner? Having a background in LE and firearms I find this disgusting. The perpetrator showed no offensive action against Mr. Dunn in the video. He only showed an attempt to flee.

 

[JDG]

It didn't look like 2nd degree murder to me. He fully intended to kill the shoplifter, IMO

 

[RoiPD86]

It didn't look like 2nd degree murder to me. He fully intended to kill the shoplifter, IMO

It does appear he aimed for center chest area. I can agree there.

 

[SeesSeas]

Police: Shoplifter did not verbally, physically threaten Lakeland commissioner before fatal shooting
UPDATED: Oct 20, 2018
LAKELAND, Fla. — A newly released arrest affidavit reveals why a grand jury indicted Lakeland City Commissioner Michael Dunn on a second-degree murder charge. Dunn fatally shot an alleged shoplifter on October 3.
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According to Dunn's arrest affidavit, video surveillance showed Lopez remove a hatchet from a display rack inside the store and conceal it in the front of his pants and underneath his shirt. Dunn, who is a co-owner of the store, witnessed this from his store office. Dunn is seen exiting the office, concealing his firearm in the waistband of his pants. Police say that Dunn walked to the front door of the store, presumably to prevent Lopez from leaving the store with the hatchet.
[...]
Police note that although Lopez had the hatchet in his right hand, the blade of the hatchet was facing the palm of his own hand.
At some point, Dunn lost grip of Lopez's shirt, at which time he raised his firearm to "eye-level" and fired two successive shots. The first shot struck the left side of his upper torso, and the second struck his mid-back, police say. Lopez was pronounced dead at the scene.
[...]

 

[SeesSeas]

Florida City Commissioner Charged With Murder in Shooting at His Store
Oct. 20, 2018
[...]
Mr. Dunn is a co-owner of an Army-Navy surplus store, which carries a selection of firearms, military surplus and public safety supplies. He began serving a four-year term as an elected city commissioner in January in Lakeland, which is about 35 miles east of Tampa, Fla.

John Tupps, a spokesman for Gov. Rick Scott, said the office would move to suspend Mr. Dunn from his position after it receives charging documents from officials.
[...]

 

[SeesSeas]

Lakeland commissioner resigns after murder charge
Published: October 22, 2018
Updated: October 22, 2018 at 05:08 PM
LAKELAND — The Lakeland city commissioner who was charged last week with second-degree murder in the death of a would-be shoplifter has resigned from his elected position.

City officials announced Monday that Michael Dunn’s fellow commissioners and the mayor had received a letter of resignation.

"It is with a heavy heart that I submit this letter to you," Dunn wrote. "Being born and raised in Lakeland, this city means a great deal to me and always will. Thank you to the residents of Lakeland for having given me the opportunity to serve."

Dunn, 47, remained jailed Monday without bail.
[...]

 

[SeesSeas]

Lakeland Commission Votes on Temporary Fill; Special Election in Jan.
October 26, 2018 @6:34 AM
[...]
Dunn bonded out of jail Thursday night, sprinting away from a row of reporters and cameras to an awaiting vehicle.

Now, the process of replacing him on the council begins. Though not a complicated process, naming a new member will take time.
[...]

 

[SeesSeas]

Amusing video at link . . . watch about 10 reporters run following Dunn:
Saundra WeathersOnTV on Twitter
Saundra WeathersOnTV‏ @SaundraONTV
Former Lakeland City Commissioner ran full speed from reporters and photographers as he was released from jail on bond in that controversial murder case. More tonight on @BN9

0:06
16.1K views
6:30 PM - 25 Oct 2018

 

[SeesSeas]

Judge okays wedding anniversary trip for Lakeland store owner facing murder charge
Updated: November 9, 2018 at 06:24 PM
LAKELAND — A former Lakeland city commissioner charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a man he suspected of shoplifting is on house arrest, but that won’t stand in the way of a December weekend trip he had planned with his wife to Savannah, Ga.

A judge on Thursday granted a request by Michael Dunn to travel with wife Brandi to the historic coastal city to celebrate their anniversary Dec. 7 to 10. According to court documents, the couple planned and paid for the trip in July, about three months before Christobal Lopez was fatally shot at Dunn’s military surplus store.
[...]

 

[SeesSeas]

LPD interview with Michael Dunn
The Ledger
Published on Jan 3, 2019
Provided by the State Attorney's Office

 

[SeesSeas]

Autopsy: Christobal Lopez had high blood alcohol level when fatally shot by then-Lakeland Commissioner Michael Dunn
Posted Jan 8, 2019 at 4:57 PM
Updated Jan 9, 2019 at 11:23 AM
BARTOW — Christobal Lopez, a homeless man who was fatally shot by former Lakeland City Commissioner Michael Dunn in October, was legally drunk at the time of the midday shooting, according to an autopsy filed in Dunn’s criminal case.

The autopsy revealed that Lopez’s blood-alcohol level totaled 0.33 — a level that would suggest significant impairment, and is more than four times the legal limit for driving. It also stated the two bullets pierced his heart and punctured his lungs.

Bartow lawyer Rusty Franklin, an attorney representing Dunn, said he found the alcohol report compelling.
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Dunn, who’s charged with second-degree murder, has maintained he was defending himself when he fired the fatal shots, according to Lakeland Police reports.
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The motion to dismiss maintains that Dunn was defending himself against Lopez, and it seeks to establish immunity for Dunn based on Florida’s Stand Your Ground law. At the hearing, a judge will decide whether state prosecutors have proven the law doesn’t apply in this case.
[...]

 

[SeesSeas]

Outgoing chief judge to handle 2nd-degree murder case against ex-Lakeland commissioner Michael Dunn
Posted May 14, 2019 at 7:22 PM
Updated May 15, 2019 at 8:14 AM
BARTOW — A veteran circuit court judge who has overseen a number of high-profile death penalty cases will preside over the second-degree murder case against former Lakeland City Commissioner Michael Dunn.

Circuit Judge Donald Jacobsen, who has served as chief judge since 2015, will move to the felony division July 1. The move is part of a regular transition among judges.
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Jacobsen’s biggest case in the new division will likely be the fatal shooting of Christobal Lopez by Dunn on Oct. 3, 2018. Lopez was attempting to leave Dunn’s Vets Army Navy Surplus Store on North Florida Avenue with a hatchet he had allegedly stolen. A grand jury indicted Dunn on second-degree murder charges Oct. 19.

Jacobsen’s first hearing in the case will be a pre-trial conference at 1:30 p.m. on July 12. After that, he will likely rule on Dunn’s pending motion to dismiss the case on grounds of self-defense.
[...]

 

[SeesSeas]

PublicCaptcha
Polk Records Online
Case : 2018CF009710A000XX
Section : F3 DONALD G JACOBSEN
Case Style : STATE OF FLORIDA vs. DUNN MICHAEL

Court Date Court Time Location Motion Section Judge
11/14/2019 8:30 AM BARTOW COURTHOUSE PRET - PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE F3 DONALD G JACOBSEN

07/15/2019 INSERT HEARING FOR THE DATE: 11/14/2019 0 108

Re: PRET--PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE BY JULICLAR

 

[SeesSeas]

PublicCaptcha
Polk Records Online
Case : 2018CF009710A000XX
Section : F3 DONALD G JACOBSEN
Case Style : STATE OF FLORIDA vs. DUNN MICHAEL

Court Date Court Time Location Motion Section Judge
01/07/2020 8:30 AM BARTOW 4 A RED ELEVATOR PRET - PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE F3 DONALD G JACOBSEN

 

[JerseyGirl]

Michael Dunn murder trial: Psychologist, toxicologist may not testify