A city official in central Florida has been charged with second-degree murder after a fatal shooting at a military surplus store he owns, authorities said.

In indicting Lakeland city commissioner Michael Dunn, a grand jury effectively rejected Florida’s “stand your ground” law as a possible defense for his actions, although the argument that Dunn acted in self-defense is likely to appear again in court, officials said.

Dunn was arrested on Oct. 3 after police responded to his business, the Vets Army and Navy Surplus store in Lakeland, where Dunn said a man had tried to shoplift a small hatchet, according to Lakeland police. That alleged shoplifter, 50-year-old Christobal Lopez, was found at the entrance of the store with gunshot wounds and pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

According to police, Dunn said Lopez had come into the store with his father, then tried to take and hide a hatchet while the father was making a purchase.

“Dunn stopped Lopez asking him if he was going to pay for the item and a confrontation ensued,” police said. “Dunn then fired his weapon, striking Lopez, who was still in possession of the hatchet.”

Police said they interviewed Dunn, Lopez’s father and two other employees who were working in the store at the time.

On Oct. 15, police also released several surveillance videos from the store. Lopez is seen gripping onto the handle of the door as Dunn raises a gun and shoots Lopez in the upper left torso. Lopez falls facedown on the ground.

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