11 Stabbed at Michigan Walmart
A man accused of stabbing 11 people at a Michigan Walmart is in custody.
On July 26, around 4:43 p.m., Traverse City-area police started receiving calls that there was a man with a knife inside the Walmart store in Garfield Township in Grand Traverse County, actively stabbing people.
According to a Grand Traverse Sheriff's Office’s Facebook post, a sheriff’s deputy was near the location and arrived at 4:46 p.m. At the time of the deputy’s arrival, multiple citizens, including one who was armed with a pistol, were confronting the male suspect in the parking lot and preventing him from harming further people and from leaving. The deputy arrested the suspect without further incident.
“What they did was amazing,” Grand Traverse Sheriff Michael Shea said, voicing his gratitude toward the citizens who helped detain the suspect, identified as 42-year-old Bradford James Gille, of Afton, Mich.
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Gille was transported to the Grand Traverse County Jail. He is expected to face one count of terrorism and 11 counts of assault with intent to murder. Gille’s history shows prior assaultive incidents. A motive has not been determined.
Gille used a folding knife with a 3 ½-inch cutting blade to stab the 11 individuals, including one Walmart employee. Nine of the stabbings occurred in the store, with NBC News reporting that the incident started near the checkout area. One person was stabbed in the vestibule and one outside of the Walmart store.
The victims were transported to Munson Medical Center for treatment. All victims are expected to survive.
"Violence like this is unacceptable. Our thoughts are with those who were injured, and we’re thankful for the swift action of first responders," Walmart spokesman Joe Pennington said.
He added that the company is working with law enforcement.
