(Michigan City, IN) - Meijer in Michigan City was evacuated Saturday night because of a man chased by police running inside the store with a gun and threatening to shoot himself.

 

Eventually, the man identified as 27 year old Nathan Gruntzel after several hours of negotiating with police inside the store shot himself in the upper torso.

 

According to police, his injuries at this time do not appear life threatening.

 

Michigan City Police said the situation began when officers about 9 p.m. on Saturday responded to Baymont Motel at 4128 Franklin St. on a report of children possibly being battered by a man inside their room.

 

Police said the mother of the children told investigators there was an argument after she learned her boyfriend, Gruntzel, was wanted in the state of Wisconsin for sexual assault of a child under the age of 13.

 

After confirming the warrant for his arrest, police said officers found Gruntzel in a vehicle in the motel parking lot.

 

Police said he stepped out of the vehicle and began running toward Meijer, where he jumped a fence into the Garden Center.  Officers chasing him on foot managed to contain Gruntzel to the Garden Center where he placed a gun to his head threatening to shoot, police said.

 

The store was evacuated.

 

After six hours of trying to get him to put down the gun and surrender, Gruntzel shot himself, police said.

 

He was taken by ambulance to nearby Franciscan Health hospital and later transferred to a medical facility in South Bend for more advanced care.