Lukace Kendle

Lukace Kendle (born May 2, 1986) is an American man who was convicted of second degree murder with a firearm and attempted second degree murder for a 2012 shooting that killed Kijuan Byrd and left Michael Smathers paralyzed.

Kendle told jurors: "the reason the evidence was fabricated is because I'm white". Despite a warning from the judge he added: "The subjects I shot were African American. I can prove that [...] What they're not allowing me to tell you is that I was arrested because of the George Zimmerman shooting."

Controversy CNN and the Center for Investigative Reporting conducted a year long investigation into the licensing of armed security guards. They reported that there are no federal training standards for armed guards and that no national database exists to keep track of abuses. One of the cases they focused on was Kendle's. CNN reported that Kendle's prior convictions for DUI and public drunkenness had not disqualified him from getting an armed guard license in Florida. Additionally, he had not disclosed that he was discharged from the Navy after several alcohol-related offenses.