Indiana grocery store employee, customer killed, Elkhart officers injured in shooting: officials

54-year-old shooter identified

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
IN grocery store employee, customer killed, officers hurt in shooting
Benjamin S. Jeffrey and Annasue Rocha were shot and killed by Juan M. Sanchez in an Elkhart, IN shooting at a Martin's grocery store, officials say.

ELKHART, Ind. (WLS) -- A customer and employee at an Indiana grocery store were shot and killed Monday evening, when a lone gunman entered the store and opened fire, Indiana officials said Tuesday.

Benjamin S. Jeffrey, 49, and Annasue Rocha, 19, were killed in the shooting.

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Jeffrey was a customer, and Rocha worked at the store, officials said.

Juan M. Sanchez, 54, who had moved to the Elkhart, Indiana area from Illinois within the past year, fired numerous shots inside Martin's Super Market, located at 575 E. Jackson Blvd., about 5:45 p.m. Monday, officials said.

After shooting the man and woman, Sanchez walked out of the store, and was confronted by two Elkhart police officers, officials said.

Sanchez shot at the officers multiple times, and the officers responded by fatally shooting him, officials said.

Both officers, a corporal and patrolman, were shot and are recovering.

The patrolman remains hospitalized in fair condition. He remains stable.

"The Elkhart County Homicide Unit, as well as the Elkhart Police Department, are grateful for the assistance of numerous other agencies assisting the investigation, providing support to victims and witnesses, and working diligently to understand what led to this tragedy in an effort to protect the peace and dignity of our community," officials said in a statement.

Anyone with information on the shooting should call 574-295-2825, as police continue to investigate a motive behind the incident.

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