A strange and tragic incident in Lakeland, Florida, ended with the fatal shooting of 42-year-old Timothy Schulz. Officials say Schulz, believed to be high on methamphetamine, was shot by deputies after attacking them with garden shears.
What Happened?
On Memorial Day morning, deputies were first called to a Racetrack gas station where Schulz had entered the store acting strangely and asking to call his son. He was shaking and behaving bizarrely.
Deputies couldn’t find him at the station, but less than two hours later, several witnesses reported seeing Schulz swimming in an alligator-infested lake nearby. One caller said Schulz appeared “drunk or high.”
While in the lake, an alligator bit Schulz on his right arm, but he continued acting aggressively.
The Attack on Deputies
After coming out of the water, Schulz picked up garden shears and a brick. He tried to break into a car with the brick.
When deputies arrived, Schulz charged at them with the shears. One deputy used a Taser twice, but it had no effect.
Schulz then tried to climb into a police vehicle and grab the officers’ weapons. At that point, both deputies shot him multiple times. Schulz died at the scene.
Sheriff Grady Judd said, “He tried to assault my deputies with shears. Then he jumped into their vehicle, trying to get their rifle or shotgun. The deputies had no choice but to stop the threat.”
Photos showed bullets fired into the police car during the incident.
Drug History and Investigation
Schulz had a long criminal record involving drugs. He was released from jail just days before the incident after a meth possession charge. A glass pipe testing positive for meth was found in his backpack.
The sheriff suspects meth influenced Schulz’s erratic and dangerous behaviour.
The case is under investigation, and the deputies involved have been placed on administrative leave.
The fatal shooting of Timothy Schulz followed a bizarre chain of events involving an alligator bite, erratic behaviour possibly caused by meth, and a violent attack on law enforcement. Authorities continue to investigate the incident as deputies face administrative review.