Man fatally shoots himself in parking lot of MI-Walmart
VIENNA TWP, MI April 10 2020– A 31-year-old Birch Run man shot and killed himself Monday afternoon in the parking lot outside a Vienna Township Walmart, police said.
Genesee County sheriff deputies were called around 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 6 for a report of a shooting at the store, 11493 N. Linden Road, near M-57.
Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said a sheriff’s patrol vehicle had been in the parking lot doing a routine patrol check less than one minute before the call went out.
Witnesses told police the man, whose name has not been released, jumped onto the trunk of his vehicle with a 20-gauge shotgun in hand.
“He fired one shot in the air,” said Swanson. “None of the witnesses said they thought they were in a direct line of fire.”
The man then turned the gun on himself.
Swanson noted the man’s family told police he’d been “battling with depression and thought he was acting strange” on Monday.
“Sadly, they were not able to give him the opportunity to choose a better path,” said Swanson.
Counseling is being provided for any witnesses to the incident.
“It was a shocking scene for our veteran officers and anyone else that was there,” Swanson said.
The sheriff commented on the need for mental health care as people have self-isolated but also for those struggling with addiction.
Swanson spoke of recent headlines showing an increase in alcohol sales and recovering addicts missing out on meetings.
“If you don’t have a support system built up, there’s a sad path they are walking down,” he said.
Swanson also pointed to the short-term and long-term mental health issues.
Options remain available for people dealing with negative feelings, Swanson said, including online counseling, reaching out to friends and family, leaning on one’s faith, or calling 911.
“Our crisis teams are out there,” he added.
The Genesee Health System offers a 24-hour crisis hotline at 810-257-3740 or sending a text to 741741. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached by calling 1-800-273-8255.
