Following an alligator bite in a Lakeland lake, 42-year-old Timothy Schulz charged at Polk County deputies with garden shears, ignoring commands to drop the weapon and a Taser deployment. He then attempted to access a firearm in the deputies’ patrol car, resulting in deputies firing their weapons and Schulz’s death. Prior to the incident, Schulz had displayed erratic behavior, including a request for help at a racetrack and refusal of a life vest offered by a witness. The shooting is under review by the state’s attorney’s office, and the deputies are on administrative leave.
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A federal judge dismissed portions of a lawsuit against Farmington police officers who fatally shot Robert Dotson during a mistaken raid. The judge ruled the officers’ use of deadly force was reasonable given Dotson’s actions of pointing a firearm at them, granting them qualified immunity. While acknowledging the officers’ error in going to the wrong address, the court found the threat posed by Dotson justified their response. The lawsuit will proceed on remaining claims under state tort law and the New Mexico Civil Rights Act.
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In Cincinnati, Ohio, 18-year-old Ryan Hinton was fatally shot by police after allegedly pointing a gun; bodycam footage, though unclear, supports the police account. Less than 24 hours later, Ryan’s father, Rodney Hinton, allegedly struck and killed a different police officer with his car. Rodney Hinton has been charged with aggravated murder. This double tragedy has intensified existing concerns regarding police use of lethal force and its aftermath.
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John Q. Hosedrinker