A man who allegedly used a golf club to impale and kill an employee at a Minneapolis grocery store has been deemed competent to stand trial.
For almost twenty years, Skafte worked as a clerk at the store while also being a highly regarded ballet dancer. According to a neighbor who spoke to WCCO, Skafte was known for his selfless deeds towards the community.
Daniel, a resident of the store’s neighborhood, remembers Robert as someone who was friendly with everyone. “He was friends with everybody in the whole neighborhood. You know, they come into the store, and he was friends with all everybody who shopped there. I guess the best way to describe Robert is he was kind of a pillar of the neighborhood,” Daniel shared.
According to court records, Schulz had a history of assaulting other residents in his apartment building. He had also been evicted from his apartment just a week before the tragic killing. Interestingly, Schulz’s former apartment was located right across the street from where the incident took place.
According to court documents, Schulz was civilly committed for six months in 2021 after a doctor found that he was at an “unacceptably high risk of further psychiatric deterioration unless strong support is given.” It was also revealed that he has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Schulz has previously received treatment and services through Veterans Affairs.
Back in January, the judge declared Schulz mentally incompetent to face trial. The county attorney’s office had announced that they would continue with the proceedings as soon as he regained competence, which was set to be evaluated at his July hearing.
During a memorial held for Skafte towards the end of December, the late individual’s loved ones distributed a petition with the aim of raising greater awareness about mental health concerns, which are similar to those experienced by Schulz.
At the moment, there are no upcoming court dates that have been scheduled.
Schulz could be sentenced to a maximum of 40 years imprisonment if found guilty.
