Former city commissioner gets 3 years for killing shoplifter

(Polk County Sheriff's Office)

LAKELAND, Fla. – A former Florida city commissioner has been sentenced to three years in prison for fatally shooting a shoplifter at his store.

Michael Dunn was sentenced Monday in Polk County court.

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Court records show he pleaded guilty in March to manslaughter with a firearm.

Dunn resigned from his seat on the Lakeland City Commission several weeks after the October 2018 killing of Christobal Lopez.

Officials say Lopez had been attempting to shoplift a hatchet at Vets Army & Navy Surplus when Dunn, who was armed with a handgun, confronted Lopez.

Video surveillance showed Lopez try to flee the store.

Investigators say Dunn grabbed Lopez and then shot him twice in the torso.


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