11 stabbed at northern Michigan Walmart; suspect in custody
July 26 (UPI) -- A lone attacker has been arrested after allegedly randomly stabbing 11 victims late Saturday afternoon at a Walmart in Traverse City, Mich.
None of the 11 stabbing victims has died, but three are undergoing surgery following the attack that occurred around 5 p.m. EDT, the Traverse City Record-Eagle reported.
The lone suspect used a folding knife in what appeared to be a random attack, Grand Traverse County Sheriff Mike Shea told the Record-Eagle.
The suspect "appears" to be a Michigan resident, Shea said during a press conference.
Michigan State Police crime lab investigators are helping to gather and analyze evidence at the crime scene, which is located in the Grand Traverse Crossing mall in the southwestern portion of Traverse City.
The stabbing victims were taken to Munson Medical Center in Traverse City, where five are in serious condition and six are in critical condition.
"We are working closely with local authorities and emergency services to ensure the best possible care for those impacted," hospital staff said.
Traverse City is a popular vacation destination at the southern end of Lake Michigan's Grand Traverse Bay in northern lower Michigan.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a potential 2026 presidential candidate for the Democratic Party, and his husband, Chasten Buttigieg, moved to Traverse City in 2022.
The city had a year-round population of 15,707 in 2023, but the population there and in nearby communities swells greatly during the summer months.
It's known for beautiful sandy beaches, great freshwater fishing and hosting an annual National Cherry Festival that runs from the end of June through the Independence Day holiday.
Traverse City is located 150 miles north of Grand Rapids and 255 miles northwest of Detroit.
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NBC News
12 minutes ago
- NBC News
Blood-curdling screams and a 'crazed' look: Witnesses describe Michigan Walmart stabbing
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — It was a seemingly normal Saturday for Julia Martell, who was browsing the aisles of her local Walmart with a friend when she heard people screaming. Still, she didn't think much of the disturbance, making the assumption that there was a fight a few aisles over. As she turned the corner, she saw a man running down another aisle, and then she saw his knife. Eleven people ranging in age from 29 to 84 were injured in a stabbing attack at the Traverse City store Saturday, and a suspect was apprehended. Bradford James Gille, 42, was quickly subdued by other shoppers and taken into custody when a deputy arrived, the Grand Traverse County Sheriff said. The man barreled past someone else nearby and "angled toward me," Martell, 32, told NBC News. "And that's when I booked it down the aisle." She said the man looked "crazed" and laser-focused on getting to the store's exit. She said she doesn't think she was an intended target, or that she even particularly caught the man's attention, but that she was uninjured because she got out of the way in time. Authorities have said Gille acted alone and that the attack appeared to be random without predetermined victims. Martell stopped running when she found a group of others, which is when she said the fear set in "because I had no idea where the person was." "All I know is I saw a knife, and I ran away from the knife, and now I have no idea where the knife is," Martell said. "I'm still sitting and grappling with the weight of realizing that it was kind of a life or death moment," Martell said. She said it's "surreal" that she was there when it happened, especially in retrospect after seeing all of the news coverage. "I could have easily been next," she said. On her way out of the store, she passed at least two men who had stab wounds. One, she said, was elderly and was complaining about his heart. The other made a joke about needing a Band-Aid. Officials have said that Good Samaritans in the store subdued the attacker before officers arrived and could arrest him. Martell said that was happening on the other side of the store from where she ended up. Michael Miller, 34, said he was one of those people. He, along with his fiancée, Julia Ling, 27, and four of their kids, heard what they described as blood-curdling screams when they walked into the Walmart. Ling grabbed the young girls and pulled them behind a bread rack. "Anything to block him from them," she said. But Miller ran toward the action to help, she said. Ling said she saw the man stab one victim in the produce section, then another by the self checkout, before he ran toward her and her kids. "He lunged at us," she told NBC News. Then, she said, he lunged at Miller, and the group trying to stop the attacker pushed him out the door. The group outside got the suspect to the ground and Miller called 911, he said. Officers arrived within minutes, Miller said. Once on scene, he helped the first responders locate all of the injured victims, he said. Miller said he and some other men around him "reacted at the same time and reacted in the same way," to the attacker, allowing them to work together to subdue the suspect. "I think we all saw each other. We all noticed each other and saw what was going on," Miller said. "I mean, definitely something that I think everybody was kind of in on together." Both Miller and Ling called the day's events a "wake up call" and expressed concern over bringing their kids on errands with them, especially when the other is busy and one of them has to go alone. Ling said she's already started thinking about making plans to go when Miller is home from work. But both of them have a little faith in their community after so many bystanders worked together to stop the violence. Miller "kept saying to me after the fact was, 'I only did what anybody should have done,'" Ling said. "It should be that way," Miller added. Michigan prosecutors are seeking a terrorism charge against Gille, the suspect, in addition to 11 counts of assault with intent to murder, one for each stabbing victim. All of the victims received care at Munson Medical Center, where all but one remain hospitalized. Munson Healthcare spokesperson Catherine Dewey said eight of the victims are in fair condition and two are in serious condition. All are expected to survive.
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Suspect facing terrorism charge in stabbing of 11 people at Michigan Walmart
A 42-year-old man is facing charges of terrorism and assault with intent to murder after he allegedly stabbed 11 people at a Walmart store in Michigan and was apprehended by a group of citizens, including one armed with a gun, authorities said on Sunday. The suspect, whom authorities identified as 42-year-old Bradford James Gille of Cheboygan County, Michigan, allegedly entered the Walmart store in Traverse City, about 150 miles north of Grand Rapids, around 4:10 p.m. on Saturday and began attacking people with a folding knife, Grand Traverse County Sheriff Michael Shea said at a news conference on Sunday afternoon. "It appears that these were all random acts," said Shea, adding that the attacks began near the checkout area. Shea said investigators are combing through security video that recorded nearly all of the attack. Witnesses helped law enforcement officers stop the attack and take the suspect in custody, Shea said. Bystander video that surfaced online and was confirmed as authentic by the sheriff showed a group of citizens, including one who drew a handgun on the suspect, forcing him to drop his knife. "What they did was amazing," said Shea, adding that the citizens likely saved others from being attacked. Shea said a sheriff's deputy who was near the Walmart at the time of the attack responded to the scene in less than a minute and placed the suspect under arrest. A motive for the attack remains under investigation, Shea said. Shea said the suspect attacked the victims without any warning and without making any verbal threats. He said one person was stabbed just outside the store, another was stabbed in the vestibule of the store and the remaining nine victims were attacked inside the store. The victims, six men and four women, ranged in ages from 29 to 84, Shea said, with three of the victims in their 80s and one in his 70s. The victims were taken to Munson Medical Center in Traverse City, with six of them initially listed in critical condition and the remaining five in serious condition, authorities said Saturday. "Over the past 12 hours, we've seen encouraging signs of recovery from our patients," Munson Healthcare said in an updated statement on Sunday morning, which noted that seven of the stabbing victims were in fair condition and four were in serious condition. Officials said during the Sunday afternoon press conference that five of the stabbing victims were now in fair condition, four were in serious condition and one had been released from the hospital. Shea said no other suspects are being sought in the attack: "We believe he acted alone at this time." Grand Traverse County Prosecuting Attorney Noelle Moeggenberg said during Sunday's press conference that Gille is expected to be arraigned on Monday. Moeggenberg said he's charged with terrorism because he allegedly attempted to strike fear in the community. "Thankfully no one else was injured," the sheriff said, adding, "Eleven is 11 too many but thank God it wasn't more." Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement on X that she was monitoring the situation. "I'm in touch with law enforcement about the horrible news out of Traverse City. Our thoughts are with the victims and the community reeling from this brutal act of violence," she said. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a statement on social media that FBI personnel responded to the scene, "to provide any necessary support to the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office in their investigation of the attacks at the Walmart." In a statement, a Walmart spokesperson said "Violence like this is unacceptable. Our thoughts are with those who were injured and we're thankful for the swift action of first responders. We'll continue working closely with law enforcement during their investigation."
UPI
4 hours ago
- UPI
Suspect sought in deaths of couple hiking in Arkansas State Park
Devil's Den State Park in Washington County, Ark., was part of the Ozarks. Photo Arkansas State Parks/X July 27 (UPI) -- "All available resources are being used" to find the suspect in the deaths of a couple hiking on a trail at a northwest Arkansas state park, Col. Mike Hagar of the Arkansas State Police said Sunday. Clinton David Brink, 43, and his wife, Cristenb Amanda Brinks, 41, were killed at Devil's Den State Park near Fayetteville in Washington County on Saturday afternoon, state police said. The couple, who recently moved to Prairie Grove from another state, were hiking with their daughters, 7 and 9, who were not injured. They are safe and in the custody of relatives, police said. "I want to thank the public and our media partners for their support as we pursue the man responsible for this heinous crime," Hagar said in a statement. "We are using all available resources to apprehend this suspect and bring him to justice." Assisting are local, state and federal law enforcement. The 2,500-acre park is in a remote and rural area, including rugged terrain with thick vegetation and no cellphone service. The park includes several trails and 20 miles for horseback riding. Devil's Den State Park was named one of the most beautiful state parks in America by @thetravlens. This park is an Arkansas icon, nestled in Lee Creek Valley. This stunning view is on the Yellow Rock trail at the park ! #ARStateParks #VisitArkansas Arkansas State Parks (@ArkStateParks) January 28, 2023 The park is in Lee Creek Valley of the Boston Mountains, which are part of the Ozarks. It was selected as a state park in the 1930s, and developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps, a work relief program established during the Great Depression. Devil's Den also includes caves, an 8-acre man-made lake for fishing and boating, as well as a swimming pool. Campsites and cabins are also available. Police were dispatched at 2:40 p.m. local time Saturday. Investigators have not released the circumstances of the situation but have launched a double homicide investigation. They are asking for the public' help in identifying the suspect. "Investigators are asking those who visited the park on Saturday to check cellphone photos and videos or GoPro camera footage for images of the suspect," according to the police statement. Also, people nearby are asked to check their home security camera footage. The state police believe he is a White man with a medium build who was carrying a backpack. Police said he was driving toward a park exit in a black, four-door sedan, possibly a Mazda. The vehicle may have been going on State Highway 170 to State Highway 220 near the park. There is increased law enforcement in all of the state parks. "We are praying for the family and friends of the victims, and know that law enforcement will not rest until the perpetrator is brought to justice," Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders posted on X.
