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Supermarket Shooting Kills Three

by Camille Bautista

Sadly, we can't go a few days, let alone a week, without news of another shooting rampage. A man killed two women in an Indiana supermarket Wednesday evening, gearing up to shoot another person before police shot him dead. The 22-year-old gunman entered Martin's Super Market in Elkhart with a semi-automatic handgun, shooting an employee and shopper.

After police received a call around 10 p.m., they arrived to the sound of a gunshot. Upon entering, they found a man pointing his gun at what would have been his third victim, then aiming the weapon at the two officers. Police opened fire on the shooter, killing him. The two females fatally shot were 20 and 40 years old, found about 12 aisles apart and pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities believe the incident was premeditated, though there is no indication yet that the gunman knew his victims. A large hunting knife was also found near the shooter's body. He is said to have lived in the area. Local and state police are interviewing witnesses and investigating video surveillance from the supermarket.

Luckily, no other shoppers were injured. Indiana State Police Sgt. Trent Smith says the officers who first arrived on scene likely saved multiple lives.

There's not a day that goes by, it seems like anymore, where we're not learning of a school shooting or at a business...we hope that this would never come to our home town and here it is.

Martin's Super Market released a statement thanking the community for thoughts and prayers. Rob Bartels, Martin's president and CEO, said counseling services will be offered to employees for as long as necessary.

The supermarket shooting comes two days after a 12-year-old student opened fired on a gym full of classmates with a sawed-off shotgun at a New Mexico middle school. An 11-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl were injured and the shooter is in custody.

Image: Alan Cleaver/Flickr