A 42-year-old man who survived being bitten by an alligator while swimming across a lake was fatally shot by Polk County sheriff's deputies Monday morning after he emerged from the water armed with garden shears and attempted to steal a weapon from a patrol vehicle. The incident unfolded in what Sheriff Grady Judd described as a "bizarre" drug-fueled encounter in a residential area near Lakeland.

Timothy Patrick Schulz was pronounced dead at the scene on West Lake Clark Court in the Christina Hammock neighborhood after deputies fired multiple shots. According to FOX 13 Tampa Bay , Schulz had a lengthy criminal history involving methamphetamine-related arrests and was released from jail just six days earlier on May 20.

Timeline of Events

The morning began with employees at a RaceTrac gas station on State Road 37 calling 911 around 5:56 a.m. As reported by ClickOrlando , the caller described Schulz as acting "bizarre" and "shaking" while repeatedly asking to call his son. Deputies responded but were unable to locate him initially.

Nearly two hours later, at 7:43 a.m., dispatchers received another call about a man swimming in an alligator-infested lake near West Lake Clark Court. WTSP reported that witnesses tried to offer Schulz a life jacket, but he refused assistance and allegedly "growled" at those attempting to help.

Sheriff Judd said Schulz managed to swim across the entire lake, a considerable distance from Highway 37, and was bitten on his right arm by an alligator during the crossing. According to WFTV , despite the injury, Schulz continued his erratic behavior upon reaching shore.

Fatal Confrontation

When deputies arrived at the scene, they found Schulz walking between houses carrying a pair of garden shears. NBC News reported that Schulz also threw a brick at a truck and attempted to break into vehicles in the area.

The situation escalated when Schulz charged at two deputies while wielding the garden shears. Deputies deployed their Tasers twice, but the devices appeared to have no effect on Schulz. People magazine reported that Schulz then climbed into the passenger side of a running patrol vehicle and attempted to remove a rifle or shotgun from its holder.

"At that time, our deputies shot multiple times," Sheriff Judd explained during a Monday afternoon press conference. The shooting involved two deputies, including one who was still in field training.

Recent Spike in Deputy-Involved Shootings

This incident represents the fourth fatal deputy-involved shooting in Polk County in less than two months, highlighting what appears to be a troubling trend. ABC Action News documented three fatal shootings by Polk deputies that occurred on consecutive Fridays in April 2025.

On April 11, deputies fatally shot a man who was breaking into homes in Lake Wales while armed with a knife. A week later, on April 18, both a Polk deputy and a Bartow police officer were wounded during a gunfight outside a Lowe's store in Bartow that left the suspect dead. ClickOrlando reported that on April 25, deputies shot and killed a man who advanced on them with a knife.

"I've been with the sheriff's office my entire adult life and I've never seen what we've experienced in the last three weeks," Sheriff Judd acknowledged regarding the April incidents. The Polk County Sheriff's Office does not equip its deputies with body cameras or in-dash cameras, which has drawn criticism from community advocates.

The Poor & Minority Justice Association has reported receiving multiple daily complaints about alleged excessive force by deputies. According to ABC Action News , Rev. Clayton Cowart, the organization's founder, stated his office has become "overwhelmed" with such cases.

Alligator Attacks Plague Polk County Waters

The alligator encounter that preceded Schulz's death occurred in an area where multiple attacks have been documented this year. WUSF reported that just three weeks prior to Schulz's death, 61-year-old Cynthia Diekema was killed by an alligator while canoeing with her husband near the mouth of Tiger Creek into Lake Kissimmee.

That fatal attack occurred in the same general area where another woman was bitten on the elbow while kayaking in March 2025. The Orlando Sentinel reported that Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials captured two alligators following Diekema's death, including an 11-footer that matched the description of the attacking animal.

Sheriff Judd recently issued an alligator advisory for residents, particularly for the Tiger Creek area of eastern Polk County. According to Tampa Free Press , new warning signs have been installed in the region to heighten public awareness of alligator dangers.

Since 1948, Florida has recorded 487 unprovoked alligator bites, with 27 proving fatal. CBS News noted that encounters with humans are more common during spring mating season when the estimated 1.3 million alligators in Florida are most active.

Background on Timothy Schulz

Sheriff Judd characterized Schulz's criminal history as extensive, consisting primarily of methamphetamine-related charges. Tampa Free Press reported that Schulz was arrested in April 2025 for methamphetamine possession and had only been released from the Polk County Jail on May 20, less than a week before his death.

"His criminal history is long. It's meth arrest, meth arrest, meth arrest," Sheriff Judd explained during the press conference. The sheriff attributed Schulz's ability to withstand both the alligator bite and multiple Taser deployments to methamphetamine use, stating, "If you're on enough meth, then the person you see is not the person who's attacking."

A neighbor who witnessed part of the incident told reporters he heard gunshots and saw deputies pulling Schulz from the patrol vehicle. "They were just doing their job and defending themselves," the witness, identified only as Steve, told FOX 13 Tampa Bay .

Investigation Procedures

The shooting is being investigated through multiple channels, following standard protocol for officer-involved incidents. People magazine detailed the four concurrent investigations: an independent review by the 10th Judicial Circuit's Officer-Involved Deadly Incident Task Force, an internal investigation by the PCSO Administrative Investigations Unit, an autopsy by the Polk County Medical Examiner, and a final review by the State Attorney's Office.

Both deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave pending the completion of these investigations, which is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings.

Legal Implications

The multiple investigations will determine whether the deputies' use of deadly force was justified under Florida law. Given Schulz's alleged actions—charging officers with a weapon and attempting to grab a firearm from a patrol vehicle—legal experts suggest the shooting will likely be deemed justified.

However, the broader pattern of fatal shootings in Polk County may prompt additional scrutiny from state officials and civil rights organizations. The absence of body camera footage means investigators will rely primarily on witness statements, physical evidence, and the deputies' accounts of the incident.

Sheriff Judd, known for his direct communication style, defended his deputies' actions. "You're not going to assault feloniously our deputies. You're just not going to do that. And if you do, we're gonna shoot you just enough so that you don't wanna ever wanna do that again or can't do that ever again," he told WTSP .

The investigation findings will ultimately be forwarded to State Attorney Brian Haas for final review and determination of whether criminal charges are warranted.