MINNEAPOLIS – A Hennepin County judge has ruled that the suspect who impaled a beloved Loring Park store clerk with a golf club shaft last month is incompetent to stand trial. Taylor Justin Schulz, 44, was charged with second-degree murder last month in the killing of Robert Skafte, 66, who was a clerk at Oak Grove Grocery, which is just one block south of Loring Park in downtown Minneapolis.
The gruesome fatal attack was one of over a dozen homicides in the month of December in Minneapolis.
Downtown Minneapolis / Loring Park – Report of a male bleeding in the grocery store and he has a metal pole stuck in him. 2xx Oak Grove St 12:56
Charges say that on Friday, Dec. 8, police arrived at the grocery store following a report of an assault on an employee and found Skafte on the ground behind the sales counter with “severe blunt- and sharp-force injuries to his head and face.” He was also “impaled through the torso with the shaft of a metal golf club.”
Police obtained surveillance footage of the attack, which showed Skafte working behind the counter when Schulz approached with an item to purchase. Almost immediately, Schulz then walked around the counter and began attacking Skafte, kneeing and punching him repeatedly.
Skafte attempted to escape, but Schulz dragged him back by his shirt and continued to choke, punch, and kick him. Schulz then found a golf club that was behind the store counter and struck Skafte eight times in the head and neck area before the head of the club snapped off. Schulz then stabbed Skafte repeatedly with the broken shaft of the club, eventually impaling him through the torso.
Schulz had fled the scene by the time police arrived and was finally arrested following an hours-long standoff at a nearby apartment building.
An order finding Schulz incompetent filed on Wednesday by Judge Danielle Mercurio cited an evaluation report by Dr. Kathryn Jameson, PsyD, stating that “due to mental illness or cognitive impairment, [Schulz] lacks the ability to rationally consult with counsel; or lacks the ability to understand the proceedings or participate in the defense.” The court record notes that the finding was uncontested by both the prosecution and defense counsels.
The order states that prosecution is suspended until Schulz is restored to competency to proceed. The order specifies that a screening must take place to determine whether Schulz should be civilly committed under the Minnesota Commitment and Treatment Act. The screening is to be conducted by the Hennepin County Prepetition Screening Program (PSP), and their report supporting or not supporting commitment is ordered to be submitted within five days to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. A mental competency review hearing has also been scheduled for six months from now on July 16.
Schulz currently remains in custody at Hennepin County Jail.
Skafte was described as a “shining light” in the neighborhood by Citizens for a Loring Park Community.
Robert Skafte (Oak Grove Grocery)
Oak Grove Grocery said Skafte was “the heart and soul” of the Loring Park neighborhood in a tribute posted to Facebook.
“Robert was the definition of a good neighbor, a true friend, and the best teammate. He was the light of the neighborhood and our world will forever be a little less bright without him in it,” the business said.
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
This article appeared at Alpha News and was reprinted with permission.
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