Police: Man dies by suicide at Bethel lumberyard

Dog trainer Eddie Simon plays with Lexi, an 11-year-old mixed dog, on a dog bed donated by the Shelter Dog Bed Project during Lexi's party at Carlson's Grove in New Milford, Conn. Saturday, June 7, 2014. Local residents held a party for Lexi, who had run away for 42 days before being caught. The neighborhood worked together using motion-sensing cameras and traps to help catch the dog and bring her home. less Dog trainer Eddie Simon plays with Lexi, an 11-year-old mixed dog, on a dog bed donated by the Shelter Dog Bed Project during Lexi's party at Carlson's Grove in New Milford, Conn. Saturday, June 7, 2014. Local ... more Photo: Tyler Sizemore Buy photo Photo: Tyler Sizemore Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Police: Man dies by suicide at Bethel lumberyard 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

BETHEL — A man died by suicide at a local lumberyard Friday morning after Danbury police responded to the location for a reported missing person “believed to be suicidal,” Bethel police said.

In a news release provided by Bethel police Saturday afternoon, it indicated that Danbury police were searching for a missing person who they believed was possibly suicidal around 10 a.m. Friday.

Bethel police said Danbury police tracked the missing person to the area of Pawloski Lumber at 4 Pleasantview Terrace in Bethel.

“Danbury officers located the missing person in the rear of the lumber yard and found him to be armed with a 30/30 lever action rifle,” Bethel police said.

The Danbury officers urged the man to drop his weapon, but “the subject did not comply with their orders and shot himself,” Bethel police said.

He died on scene of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Bethel police said.

No officers or third-party individuals were injured during the incident.

Bethel police detectives have been tasked with the death investigation.

“The victim’s name is not being released at this time until next of kin notification have been made,” Bethel police said.

Despite police not releasing the name publicly just yet, a News 12 report identified the victim as locally-known dog trainer Eddie Simon — also known as “Eddie the Dog Guy.”

On Thursday, Simon was charged with 15 counts of animal cruelty by Danbury police. The dogs under his care when police served the arrest warrant were turned over to the care of the city’s Animal Control unit.

Simon was a dog-trainer who offered boarding and obedience-training services for over a decade.

Former customers of Simon’s had brought complaints that he had done a poor job of training their animals on social media. An online petition was set up to bring attention to alleged negligence.