Elkhart County – At the request of the Elkhart City Police Department the Indiana State Police are investigating a shooting at a Martins Super Market in Elkhart. The shooting, which claimed three lives Wednesday night, involved two Elkhart City Police officers, an armed gunman and two female victims.
At 10:07 p.m. Elkhart Police dispatch received a 911 phone call of a gunman in the Martins Super Market located at 3900 East Bristol St. on the northeast side of the city. The first two officers on the scene arrived within three minutes confronting the armed man, shooting and killing him. The 22 year old male suspect, Shawn W. Bair, of Elkhart. Bair died at the scene as a result of multiple gunshot wounds. Bair was armed with a .40 caliber semi automatic handgun and a large hunting knife.
Officers on the scene soon discovered two female victims that had been shot and killed by the armed man. They were both pronounced dead at the scene. One 20 year old female was identified as an employee of Martins and the other 44 year old woman is presumed to be a patron of the store at this time.
The names of the victims will be released as next of kin are notified. The Elkhart City Police Department will release the names of the two officers at their discretion.
The investigation is ongoing and as new information develops it will be distributed.
The attached photograph is of Shawn W. Bair, DOB 06-27-1991
*All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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SMITH
