Latest news with #TimothySchulz
New York Times
5 days ago
- General
- New York Times
Bitten by Alligator, Man Is Killed After Charging at Deputies, Sheriff Says
Early on Memorial Day, a Florida man was bitten by an alligator as he swam across a lake. Bleeding from a bite to his right arm but undeterred, he climbed out, grabbed a pair of garden shears and walked into a gated neighborhood, alarming residents, according to local authorities. Within minutes, the man, Timothy Schulz, 42, of Mulberry, Fla., was dead — shot by sheriff's deputies after, they say, he charged at them with the shears, failed to be subdued by a stun gun and tried to grab either a shotgun or rifle from their cruiser. 'The fact that he was bitten by an alligator significantly and continued on his rampage was shocking,' the Polk County sheriff, Grady Judd, said at a news conference on Monday. 'This is just crazy stuff. You know it's got to be true. You can't make it up.' In fact, Mr. Schulz had started acting strangely at least two hours before the fatal encounter in Lakeland, Fla., according to the sheriff's office, which pieced together the events leading up to his death using 911 calls and witness statements from residents of the neighborhood who tried to help Mr. Schulz in his final moments. Sheriff Judd also said that Mr. Schulz had a lengthy criminal history, which he described as 'meth arrest, meth arrest, meth arrest, meth arrest, meth arrest.' The events on Monday began before 6 a.m., when an employee at RaceTrac gas station off Highway 37 called the sheriff's office to report a man inside who was acting bizarre — shaking and asking to call his son, Sheriff Judd said. Deputies arrived within three minutes and searched the premises until about 6:39 a.m., but the man, later identified as Mr. Schulz, had vanished, the sheriff said. At 7:43 a.m., a resident in a Polk County neighborhood called the sheriff's office to say that a man was in a lake known to have alligators in it, and that the man was treading water near one of the broad-snouted reptiles. The man, later identified as Mr. Schulz, had entered the lake near the gas station and begun swimming toward Lakeland Court, a gated community, authorities say. 'It's a long swim,' Sheriff Judd said. 'And he was gator-bitten along the way.' Several people saw Mr. Schulz treading water, and one tried to throw Mr. Schulz a life vest but he refused to use it, the sheriff said. Another person who tried to help said that Mr. Schulz growled at him. Then Mr. Schulz, bloodied, emerged from the lake, crossing between houses, Sheriff Judd said. Witnesses told deputies he was trying to break into a vehicle and carrying a pair of garden shears. One person said that Mr. Schulz immediately charged at deputies with the shears when they arrived, Sheriff Judd said. Deputies commanded Mr. Schulz to drop the shears. They twice tried to subdue him by discharging a Taser but, according to Sheriff Judd, it had no effect. Then came the final escalation. Mr. Schulz climbed into the passenger seat of a sheriff's office cruiser and tried to remove either a rifle or a shotgun from its holder, the authorities said. At that moment, the two deputies, including a trainee, opened fire, killing Mr. Schulz. 'He was bizarre,' Sheriff Judd said. 'Our deputies, by the way, are going home safe tonight.' Mr. Schulz had previously been arrested on a charge of possession of methamphetamine on April 16, the authorities said. He was released on May 20. The investigation into what happened on Memorial Day is continuing, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, which said that it was awaiting the results of an autopsy and toxicology reports.
Toronto Sun
5 days ago
- Toronto Sun
Florida man attacked by alligator is fatally shot by cops in chaotic scene
Timothy Schulz was shot to death by police after he tried to steal weapons from patrol vehicle while wielding garden shears. Polk County Sheriffs Office Deputies in Florida shot and killed a man believed to be on drugs and wielding a pair of garden shears after he was bitten by an alligator. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Timothy Schulz, 42, had climbed into a patrol vehicle to try to get the weapons inside when deputies opened fire, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told reporters following Monday morning's shooting. The deadly confrontation occurred when people reported seeing a man — later identified as Schulz — swimming in an alligator-infested lake in a gated community in Lakeland, Florida, according to CBS News . One witness tried to give him a life preserver while another tried to speak with him but the man only growled in response, the sheriff said. Schulz ended up taking a bite to his right arm from a gator. 'The fact that he was bitten by an alligator, significantly, and still continued his rampage is shocking,' Judd said. 'But if you're on enough meth, then the person you see is not the person that's attacking.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Schulz managed to get out of the water, picked up a set of garden shears from a home, then tried to break into a vehicle with a brick, the sheriff said. RECOMMENDED VIDEO The suspect charged at deputies, who tried to use a Taser on him twice. 'They were still trying to take him peacefully into custody,' Judd explained, when Schulz ran to a patrol vehicle to try to grab a weapon. Schulz was shot multiple times, as a result. Read More 'This is just crazy stuff, OK?' Judd said. 'You know that it's got to be true, you can't make it up.' The sheriff's office shared video and photos to X of damaged police vehicles and what appeared to be multiple bullet holes through the windshield and windows. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The sheriff detailed Schulz's lengthy history of drug-related arrests, adding that the dead man had been released from jail on May 20 after he was busted for possession of meth. The deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave as the incident is investigated. World Canada Music World World
The Guardian
5 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Florida man was bitten by alligator in lake then shot by deputies, sheriff says
A Florida man was shot and killed by sheriff's deputies after he was bitten by an alligator during an early morning dip in a lake, then threatened the officers with garden shears as he attempted to enter their patrol vehicle, the sheriff said. Photos posted to social media by deputies in Polk county showed the aftermath of Monday's fatal, exceptionally chaotic events in Lakeland that ended with Timothy Schulz, 42, dead in what Grady Judd, the sheriff, called a 'rampage'. The images showed the officers' vehicle with a shattered windshield from multiple gunshots – and the shears on the passenger seat surrounded by shards of broken glass. Schulz received a bite on his right arm during his swim at a gated community lake with several alligators, Judd told a press conference, reported by CBS News. He was believed to be high on methamphetamine, the sheriff added. Deputies were earlier called to a nearby convenience store by a worker who reported a man acting strangely, shaking, and asking to call his son – but the person had disappeared by the time the members of the sheriff's office arrived. Judd said that about two hours later, at 7:43am, residents of the gated community called to report he was in the lake. He then emerged with a bloodied arm, picked up the shears that a neighbor had left in their yard, and attempted to smash a car window with a brick. When deputies arrived for the second time, Judd said, Schulz charged their vehicle while waving the shears, and tried to snatch their weapons, forcing them to fire. 'This is just crazy stuff, OK? You know that it's got to be true – you can't make it up,' said Judd, who added that his officers had twice tried to subdue the suspect with a stun gun. 'The fact that he was bitten by an alligator, significantly, and still continued his rampage is shocking,' Judd remarked. 'But if you're on enough meth, then the person you see is not the person that's attacking.' Neither of the responding officers was injured. Schulz has a history of drug-related arrests and was released on 20 May from a prison sentence for the possession of meth, the sheriff's office said in a social media post.
New York Post
5 days ago
- New York Post
Meth-crazed Florida man is bitten by alligator, charges at cops with garden shears before he's shot dead in wild series of events
A meth-crazed Florida man survived getting bitten by an alligator — just to be fatally shot when he charged at cops trying to help him. The wild scenes erupted after Timothy Schulz, 42, was spotted swimming in an alligator-infested lake in Lakeland, south of Orlando, early Monday, authorities said. Schulz, who cops said was high on drugs, had growled at good Samaritans trying to toss him a life vest just moments before one of the gators bit his right arm. 4 Office deputies began searching for Timothy Schulz, 42, after a convenience store clerk reported he was acting strangely. Polk County Sheriff's Office 4 Bullet holes seen in the police vehicle's windshield. Polk County Sheriff's Office 'The fact that he was bitten by an alligator and still continued his rampage is shocking,' Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. 'But if you're on enough meth, then the person you see is not the person that's attacking.' The horror only continued when Schulz suddenly emerged from the lake soon after being bitten and grabbed a pair of garden shears from a nearby home, authorities said. As deputies arrived on the scene, Schulz then charged at them with the shears. 4 Inside the police vehicle after the fatal shooting. Polk County Sheriff's Office One of the officers fired off their stun gun in a bid to thwart Schulz — but the taser had no effect, authorities said. 'They were still trying to take him peacefully into custody,' Judd said. The crazed man then tried to jump into the patrol vehicle and remove one of the firearms, according to authorities. 4 The Polk County Sheriff's Office discusses the incident to the press. Polk County Sheriff's Office 'At that time our deputies shot multiple times,' the sheriff said. 'As a result, Timothy is deceased.' Schulz, who had a lengthy drug-packed rap sheet, had only just been cut loose from the county jail on May 20 following a methamphetamine bust. The deputies involved in the shooting will be put on administrative leave as the ordeal is investigated, the sheriff said.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Man bit by ALLIGATOR is shot dead by cops during wild, drug-fueled rampage
A Florida man was shot dead by police moments after he emerged from alligator-infested waters while suffering from an apparent bite. Timothy Schulz, 42, charged at two sheriff's deputies with gardening shears, diving into the patrol car and trying to access a gun in the moments before he was shot. Schulz was known to authorities and faced methamphetamine charges just a week ago. On Monday morning, authorities responded to a call about Schulz behavior. The caller revealed he was at a racetrack, shaking and asking to call his son. Almost two hours later another witness spotted Schulz in Lakeland, south of Orlando. He was submerged in a lake known to be home to 'a lot' of alligators. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told reporters on Monday: 'The fact that he was bitten by an alligator and still continued his rampage is shocking. 'But if you're on enough meth, then the person you see is not the person that's attacking,' he added, according to CBS. The witness had attempted to pass Schulz a life vest while he was in the lake, but he refused to take it. He tried to climb inside the passenger side of the patrol car still holding the gardening shears (left) and making an effort to get his hands on the officers' gun Another witness told authorities he 'growled' when approached. He was treading water with just his head visible, but at one stage the witnesses reported seeing an alligator approach and bite his arm. After he emerged from the water, Schulz managed to obtain gardening shears, and was seen stalking a residential area holding them in his hands. He threw a brick at a truck, Judd added. When he noticed authorities, he charged at them with the shears, ignoring repeated warnings to drop the weapon. Per department policy, the deputies involved will now be placed on administrative leave pending a state investigation into the shooting Initially, he was fired upon using a stun gun, but it had little effect, authorities said. He then tried to climb inside the passenger side of the patrol car, making an effort to get his hands on the officers' gun. 'At that time our deputies shot multiple times,' Judd said. 'As a result, Timothy is deceased.' Per department policy, the deputies involved will now be placed on administrative leave pending a state investigation into the shooting.
