Escanaba grocery store damaged during rampage

ESCANABA — One man caused thousands of dollars in damage to an Escanaba grocery store during a rampage late Friday night.

The Escanaba Department of Public Safety was dispatched to Elmer’s County Market on report of a 33 year-old male subject acting strangely. Officers made contact with Elmer’s employees who stated that 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 has now barricaded himself in a second story storage area.

For nearly two hours, the male subject threw metal shelving, metal brackets, pipes, lumber and anything else he could get his hands on at the 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; and broke through a wall next to the storage area and fell through approximately 15 feet through the ceiling of the deli kitchen.

He was immediately taken to OSF by Rampart EMS personnel, who were already on standby outside of the store. One of the employees was injured by an object thrown by the suspect 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 Center, Rampart EMS personnel and DTE.