CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A man has died after he shot himself in the parking lot of Champaign’s Meijer Wednesday, the Champaign County Coroner announced.
According to the Champaign County Coroner in a press release, the man, identified as 30-year-old Bennett H. Eiermann of Urbana, died at Carle Hospital around 8 p.m. Roughly 9 hours after Eiermann allegedly shot himself at the store, located at 2401 N Prospect Ave.
According to law enforcement officials, Eiermann had an alleged history of bizarre behavior, including killing a dog, which had led up to the incident.
Eiermann had been sought by deputies since March 29th, when he entered his ex-girlfriend’s home on Welland Drive in Hensley Township, killing her dog, and attempted burglary on April 1st, resulting in an exchange of gunfire with the homeowner. Following the shooting incident, the Eiermann sister informed police that he was threatening to shoot himself if confronted by law enforcement.
Residents again spotted Eiermann walking in the neighborhood around 11 am Wednesday and reported it to police. Deputies were dispatched to locate Eiermann and saw him walking into Meijer just after 11:30 a.m. When a deputy approached the suspect at the store’s exit, Eiermann pulled out a gun and shot himself.
Champaign County Sheriff Dustin Heuerman reported no shots were fired by law enforcement and no one else was hurt in the incident.
The incident remains under investigation by Illinois State Police, Champaign Police Department, Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigation unit, and U.S. Marshals.
