Timothy Schultz dies in fatal Polk County shooting

Timothy Schultz dies in fatal Polk County shooting

Fatal Polk County shooting death of Timothy Schultz – Obituary

Timothy Schultz, a 42-year-old man from Polk County, Florida, was fatally shot by sheriff’s deputies on Monday after a bizarre series of events that began with erratic behavior and ended in a deadly confrontation.

Deputies with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office began looking for Schultz around 6 a.m. following reports from a convenience store clerk who said he was acting strangely. Witnesses later saw Schultz swimming in a lake known to contain alligators. Despite attempts by bystanders to help, Schultz reportedly growled at them and ignored their efforts.

He emerged from the water with what appeared to be an alligator bite and began wandering through a neighborhood carrying a pair of garden shears. At one point, he allegedly tried to smash into a resident’s vehicle using a brick.

According to authorities, Schultz then charged at deputies with the shears. Though they deployed tasers twice, he appeared unfazed. He then reportedly climbed into the passenger side of a patrol vehicle in an attempt to seize a deputy’s rifle. At that point, a deputy and a trainee opened fire, killing him.

Sheriff Grady Judd later noted that Schultz had a long history of criminal activity, including multiple arrests related to methamphetamine. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.