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Out-of-control man wreaks havoc at Escanaba store

ESCANABA, MI--   The Escanaba Department of Public Safety was dispatched to Elmer’s Country Market Friday around 10:50 p.m. for a 33-year-old male subject acting strangely.

Officers made contact with the workers from Elmer’s who stated one of them was threatened with a knife. Officers were brought to the receiving area in the back of the store where the male subject had barricaded himself in a second-story storage area.

For nearly two hours the subject did all of the following:

  • Threw metal shelving, metal brackets, pipes, lumber, and anything else he could get his hands on at officers
  • Intentionally damaged the hot water heater, creating a gas leak
  • Intentionally put a lighter to the gas leak and started it on fire
  • Destroyed numerous products and equipment totaling thousands of dollars
  • Broke through a wall next to the storage area and fell about 15 feet through the ceiling of the deli kitchen

The man was immediately taken to OSF by RAMPART personnel, who were already on standby outside the store.
One of the employees was injured by an object thrown by the subject, and an officer sustained a minor injury when the suspect fell through the ceiling.

Escanaba Public Safety was assisted by the Delta County Sheriff’s Department, Delta County Central Dispatch, RAMPART personnel, and DTE.

Nicole was born near Detroit but has lived in the U.P. most of her life. She graduated from Marquette Senior High School and attended Michigan State and Northern Michigan Universities, graduating from NMU in 1993 with a degree in English.