A Discount Tire employee died Wednesday evening from an accidental gunshot to the head inside the store on Grape Road, police said. Officers found 29-year-old Curtiss Walker in a back office around 5 p.m. and pronounced him dead at the scene as detectives secured the area and began interviews.
Authorities said the St. Joseph County coroner ruled the death an accident on Thursday, shifting the case from a possible public threat to a workplace incident. Mishawaka police say the shot was fired while a small group was inside a private office off the lobby and that no customers were struck. Investigators are reviewing statements from the two people who were in the room with Walker and are collecting any available surveillance video. Police emphasized that a separate shots-fired call reported nearby shortly before the death investigation began was unrelated to the tire shop. No arrests had been announced as of Monday, and officials said the inquiry remains open.
The shooting happened just before closing time in the busy Grape Road commercial corridor. Sgt. Steve Headley said Walker had been in a closed office with two others when a friend’s handgun discharged. “This was an accidental shooting,” Headley said. Officers cordoned off the office and lobby doorway with tape while crime scene technicians photographed the room, measured distances and documented where the handgun and shell casing were found. Detectives asked those who were in the building to remain while they conducted interviews. A few shoppers waited in the parking lot as squad cars idled under the store canopy. The business returned to limited operations as investigators finished their on-scene work.
Officials said the weapon involved was a semi-automatic handgun brought to the store by a friend. Police have not released the make, caliber or who last handled the gun at the moment it fired, citing the ongoing investigation. The coroner’s ruling of accidental death followed an initial examination that confirmed a single gunshot wound to the head. Investigators are checking whether the firearm’s safety was engaged, whether anyone attempted to unload the weapon, and if basic handling rules were followed in the office. The nearby shots-fired report, logged minutes earlier on the corridor, was determined to have no connection to the store or the people inside it. Police said employees and customers were in the building at the time, but no one else was injured.
Walker, of Mishawaka, was identified after his family was notified. Co-workers told police he was known to regular customers and had worked the evening shift on Wednesday. Public records show Grape Road is among the city’s busiest retail stretches, lined with big-box stores and restaurants that fill up during the evening commute. Accidental shootings inside workplaces are uncommon, local officials said, but not unheard of; departments have handled isolated cases across offices and shops over the years. The Discount Tire location is part of a national chain that sells tires and wheels and performs installation. Police said the office where the shot was fired is separated from the lobby by a door and is not typically open to customers.
The case remains under review by Mishawaka detectives and the St. Joseph County Coroner’s Office. Police said they are conducting follow-up interviews with the two people who were in the room and are seeking any store video that captured movements leading up to the discharge. A full autopsy report and any toxicology, if ordered, can take weeks to complete. Investigators will determine whether evidence supports a referral to prosecutors for review of potential criminal charges related to reckless handling or other violations, though police said they are not actively investigating a crime at this time. Officials have not released 911 recordings or incident reports while the investigation is active.
Neighbors described a quick law enforcement response, with officers arriving within minutes and placing cones and markers in the office area. A customer who had just checked in for service said staff moved people away from the lobby while police taped off the doorway. Another worker said the store remained quiet as employees waited to give statements. “We want to be thorough and respectful to the family,” Headley said, adding that investigators would share an updated summary after interviews and evidence reviews are complete. By late evening, yellow tape still crossed the office entrance as lights remained on inside.
As of Monday, the death is officially ruled accidental and the investigation is active. Police said the next update is expected after follow-up interviews and evidence reviews are finished, or when the coroner’s final report is filed.
Author note: Last updated February 2, 2026.