A Florida man tweaking on meth died in a hail of gunfire after attacking police who were trying to help him — just moments after he survived an alligator attack.
Timothy Patrick Schulz, 42, was shot by sheriff’s deputies after he emerged from an alligator-infested lake in Lakeland.
Schulz then confronted the officers and attempted to grab the shotgun from their running patrol car, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.
He had just been released from the Polk County Jail after being booked for possession of meth.
Suspect Timothy Patrick Schulz, released from the Polk County Jail on May 20, 2025, for possession of meth. pic.twitter.com/Nss7GgKHSt
— Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd (@PolkCoSheriff) May 26, 2025
Later, residents saw a man swimming in a lake known to contain multiple alligators.
One witness attempted to throw him a life preserver, while another tried to talk to him — only to receive a growl in return.
An alligator bit Schulz on the arm, but he managed to break free.
When deputies arrived, Schulz waded out of the lake and grabbed a pair of garden shears.
He then charged at the deputies, prompting them to deploy a stun gun — which had no effect