Retired Police Officer Dies After Shooting Himself

A retired police officer is dead, after he reportedly shot himself in the chest Monday and collapsed on a Calloway County Road.

On Monday afternoon, the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call about a man lying in the roadway on Squire Road near the Knights of Columbus Hall in west Calloway County. The caller told police it looked like the man had a gunshot wound to the chest.

When Calloway County Deputies and Murray Calloway County EMS responded, police reportedly saw a man lying in the road with a semi automatic pistol a short distance from him. As officers approached the man, they said he identified himself as 56 year-old Tom Rottinghaus. Officers also saw what appeared to be a gunshot wound to Rottinghaus' chest. While EMS responders were treating Rottinghaus, they said he again told them that he had shot himself.  

EMS took Rottinghaus to the Murray Calloway County Emergency Room, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.