Three people died, including the shooter, and two police officers were wounded Monday evening, January 27, 2025, when gunfire erupted at Martin’s Super Market in Elkhart, Indiana, leading to a deadly confrontation between police and the shooter outside the store.
Emergency responders and Elkhart Police Department officers arrived at the supermarket at 575 East Jackson Boulevard at approximately 5:30 p.m. following multiple calls reporting an active shooter. Upon entering the building, first responders discovered two victims inside who had suffered fatal gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical service crews. They were identified as Elkhart residents Benjamin Jeffery, 49, and Annasue Rocha, 19, an employee of the store. The shooting triggered an immediate lockdown of the surrounding area as additional police units rushed to the location.
The police department’s rapid response included multiple tactical units that immediately secured the store’s perimeter and evacuated customers and employees through designated safe exits. Officers then engaged in a confrontation with the armed suspect in the parking lot outside the building, resulting in an exchange of gunfire. During this encounter, two officers sustained gunshot wounds, and the suspect, Juan Sanchez, 54, was killed.
One of the wounded officers, Corporal Paul Vandenburg, received emergency treatment at a local hospital and was released late Monday night. The second officer, Patrolman Ethan Pasternak, remains hospitalized in fair but stable condition, according to police officials. Both officers are veteran members of the department’s patrol.
Erin Swary, a pregnant mother, was at the checkout counter, engaging in casual conversation with the bagger when gunfire erupted. Initially, she mistook the sound for a balloon popping. However, as people around her began ducking for cover, she quickly followed suit, becoming more aware of her surroundings due to her pregnancy.
She described hearing six to eight shots in rapid succession after the initial sound. Remaining on the ground, frozen in fear, she refrained from moving, worried about her safety as the gunfire continued. Her thoughts were consumed by concern for her children and the possibility of the shooter coming closer, which she believed would likely result in her being harmed as well.
After the gunfire ceased, Swary managed to exit the store, shaken and struggling to catch her breath. Outside, she encountered a man who had been heading into the supermarket and informed him about the shooting. Recognizing her distress, he stayed with her to provide comfort and ensure she was okay as she processed the traumatic event.
The Elkhart County Homicide Unit has assumed control of the investigation, working with the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office and the Indiana State Police. Evidence technicians worked through the night processing the extensive crime scene, which spans both the interior of the store and the parking lot where the shootout occurred. Multiple investigative teams are conducting interviews with dozens of witnesses who were present during the incident.
Jessica McBrier, public information officer for the Elkhart Police Department, addressed the media at an impromptu press conference outside the store, stating, “It’s a sad day in Elkhart. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people affected.” She confirmed no ongoing threat to the community and assured residents that additional patrols would be in the area.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun took to the social media platform X to address the tragic shooting in Elkhart, emphasizing that he and his wife, Maureen, are deeply saddened and holding the victims and their families close in their thoughts and prayers. He assured the public that the state works closely with local law enforcement and has made all necessary resources available to assist with the ongoing investigation.
The supermarket, located approximately 20 miles east of South Bend, home to the University of Notre Dame, remained an active crime scene throughout Monday night and into Tuesday morning. More than two dozen law enforcement vehicles from multiple agencies surrounded the store as investigators worked to process evidence and interview witnesses. Crime scene technicians focused their attention on both the store’s main entrance area and the section of the parking lot where the officer-involved shooting occurred.
This shooting occurred almost 11 years after a previous mass shooting at a different Martin’s Super Market location in Elkhart in 2014, where two people were killed. That incident led to enhanced security measures at all of Martin’s locations throughout northern Indiana.