The Lakeland City Commissioner has been charged with second degree murder after fatally shooting a suspected shoplifter.
Police said that Michael Dunn shot and killed Cristobal Lopez when he tried to steal a hatchet from the commissioner’s military surplus store.
Commissioner Dunn’s lawyer stated that he was standing his ground.
Brian Haas, the state attorney for the 10th Judicial Circuit, believes that this incident does not align with Florida’s “stand-your-ground” law.
"It is the policy of my office to comply with and abide by the ‘stand your ground’ law. However, I have determined that this case and the actions fo Mr. Dunn fall outside of the protection of the ‘stand your ground’ law,” Haas said.
Dunn is being held without bond in the Polk County jail.
