Man Kills Ex-Wife At Work Before Shooting Himself: Police

An Ohio Giant Eagle employee was killed at work by her ex-husband who then fatally shot himself, according to reports.

North Olmsted Police Department (NOPD) officers were alerted to reports of shots fired at a Giant Eagle store in North Olmstead, a west Cleveland suburb, at about 9:35 a.m. on June 25.

Police chief Bob Wagner said officers found the bodies later identified as Edward Smith, 60, from Cleveland, and his ex-wife and Giant Eagle employee Susan Peterson, 63, of Olmsted Township.

An NOPD statement shared on Facebook read: "Responding officers encountered two individuals with gunshot wounds inside the Giant Eagle store.

"Preliminary investigation shows that a male shot a female. Both subjects are deceased. Currently, the North Olmstead Police are investigating this incident as a murder-suicide."

According to the Gun Violence Archive, a database that collects information about shootings from across the U.S., there have been 330 reported murder-suicides so far this year.

The same database stated there have been 17 murder-suicide victims in Ohio since January 1.

North Olmstead Mayor Nicole Dailey Jones said in a June 25 statement: "I am deeply saddened about the events that took place this morning at the North Olmsted Giant Eagle supermarket.

"First and foremost, my heart goes out to the victim of this tragedy and her family and friends. I know all North Olmsted residents doing me in sending their prayers and support to them. We also remember the employees and customers who were in the store at the time of this terrible incident."

She added: "Our safety forces completed the latest available training for this type of situation earlier this year. I also want to thank our neighboring cities for their assistance and for providing mutual aid."

A Giant Eagle spokesperson said in a statement sent to NBC affiliate WKYC: "We are shocked and deeply saddened that such a senseless act of violence occurred in one of our stores.

"Our top priority remains the safety of our team members and guests. We are grateful for the quick response of local authorities and are committed to providing all available resources to law enforcement to assist in their ongoing investigation. Our thoughts and hearts are with all those affected by this terrible tragedy."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "Data from U.S. crime reports suggest that about 1 in 5 homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner.

"The reports also found that over half of female homicide victims in the United States are killed by a current or former male intimate partner."

Newsweek has contacted the NOPD and Giant Eagle for comment via email.