Lakeland Police Release Videos Of Shooting By City Commissioner

LAKELAND, FL -- The State Attorney's Office is expected to announce by the end of the week if charges will be filed against a Lakeland city commissioner who shot and killed a man in his Army surplus store on Wednesday, Oct. 3.

Lakeland Police have released the videos from surveillance cameras inside the Vets Army Navy Surplus that show what transpired during the confrontation between store's owner, Lakeland City Commissioner Mike Dunn, and customer 50-year-old Cristobal Lopez.

Police say Lopez came into the store at 819 N. Florida Ave. in Lakeland with his father. As his father was making a purchase, Lopez picked up a hatchet from a store display and concealed it in his pants.

As Lopez was leaving the store, Dunn, who saw Lopez take the hatchet, told police he confronted Lopez and asked if he was going to pay for the hatchet. Dunn told police he shot Lopez twice only after Lopez pulled the hatchet from his pants and threatened Dunn with it.

One of the videos, however, shows Dunn pointing a gun at Lopez and grabbing him by the shirt as Lopez was leaving the store. When police arrived, they found Lopez dead outside the store's entrance.

In addition to Lopez ’s father and Dunn, detectives interviewed two store employees who were in the store at the time.

Lakeland Police Chief Larry Giddens said Monday that he decided to release the surveillance videos in the interest of transparency. He added that he received the approval from the State Attorney's Office to make the series of four videos public.

"Though citizens may have strong feelings about what is depicted, we ask you to remain patient as our department continues to work with the State Attorney's Office to investigate," Giddens said in statement released Monday.

Due to the disturbing nature of the videos, Patch has opted not to post them. Readers who wish to view them can click here.

See related stories:

Investigation Continues Into Shooting By Lakeland Commissioner

Police Say Lakeland City Commissioner Shot Man At Surplus Store

Image via Lakeland Police

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