NORTH OLMSTEAD, OHIO: In a shocking incident that unfolded on Sunday morning, June 25, a man entered the Giant Eagle supermarket in North Olmsted, Ohio, and opened fire, resulting in the death of his ex-wife who worked at the store, before turning the gun on himself.
The authorities, who responded promptly to the distress call, discovered the lifeless bodies of Susan Peterson, 63, and Bernard Edward Smith, 60, on the supermarket floor.
Murder-Suicide in North Olmsted
Although Peterson and Smith were once married, they divorced in 2004. North Olmsted Mayor Nicole Dailey Jones confirmed that the tragic incident was being treated as a murder-suicide. North Olmsted, a city of approximately 30,000 residents, is located just southwest of Cleveland. The shooting occurred at the Giant Eagle grocery store situated on the 27000 block of Lorain Avenue in North Olmsted, at approximately 9:30 am on Sunday, according to the police. Authorities from both the North Olmsted Fire and Police Departments swiftly arrived at the scene. Susan Peterson, a resident of Olmsted Township, had been employed at the supermarket for nearly four years, working alongside over 60 other employees who were present during the tragic incident, per WKYC.
North Olmsted Police Chief Bob Wagner, during a press conference held on Sunday, revealed that there were around 200 shoppers in the store at the time of the shooting. Chief Wagner highlighted that this was not a problem specific to Giant Eagle or the city of North Olmsted, stating, "This type of incident can happen anywhere, anytime."
Who was Bernard Smith?
Regarding the relationship between the victims, Chief Wagner mentioned that they had been married in the past but separated in 2004 under circumstances that were not "amicable," potentially contributing to the tragic outcome. “We don’t believe it was a very amicable divorce and was potentially what may have led up to this,” he said. Not much else is known about Smith at the time of publication. Wagner noted that the police force had undergone training earlier in the year that simulated similar situations, highlighting their preparedness.
Mayor Dailey Jones delivered a heartfelt statement during the press conference, expressing her deep sadness about the tragedy. “I am deeply saddened about the events that took place this morning at the North Olmsted Giant Eagle supermarket," she said. "First and foremost, my heart goes out to the victim of this tragedy and her family, and friends. I know that all North Olmsted residents join me in sending their prayers and support to them. We also remember the employees and customers who were at the store at the time of this terrible incident. Giant Eagle has been a pillar in the North Olmsted community for many years.”
Giant Eagle's Statement
Giant Eagle, later in the day, released a statement expressing their profound condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased team member and expressing their shock and sadness over the senseless act of violence that occurred within their store. “We offer our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of our Team Member who lost her life today while working to serve the North Olmsted community. It is incredibly difficult to process and understand any event involving violence, but it becomes unfathomable when our Giant Eagle family is directly impacted. Our thoughts and hearts are with everyone affected by this terrible tragedy."
They added, "We are shocked and deeply saddened that such a senseless act of violence occurred in one of our stores. Our top priority remains the safety of our Team Members and our Guests. We are grateful for the quick response of local authorities and are committed to providing all available resources to law enforcement to assist in their investigation. The store will be closed on Monday, June 26 so that we are able to provide on-site support to our impacted Team Members, with ongoing support for all Team Members continuing in the days ahead. The drive-thru pharmacy window will be open on Monday for Guests that need to access important medications.”
