July 27 (UPI) — Police arrested a 42-year-old man in the Saturday stabbings of 11 people in a Traverse City, Mich., Walmart.
Bradford James Gille, 42, of Afton, Mich., was named as the alleged attacker during a press conference on Saturday night. The attack occurred at 4:10 p.m.
If convicted, he faces life in prison, WXYZ-TV reported. He has previous assault charges and controlled substance violations.
Gille was not injured in the attack, said Grand Traverse County Sheriff Michael Shea, who confirmed that Gille acted alone, and his weapon was a folding knife. He faces charges of one count of terrorism and 11 counts of assault with intent to murder.
On Sunday afternoon during a news conference, the sheriff said the suspect began attacking people near the checkout area.
“It appears that these were all random acts,” Shea said, adding that a motive remains under investigation.
Witnesses helped end the attack, including one who drew a handgun and forced him to drop the knife. A sheriff’s deputy was near the Walmart when the attack occurred, Shea said.
Of the 11 people attacked, one person was stabbed outside the store, another in the vestibule and the other nine elsewhere in the store. They ranged in age from 29 to 84.
As of Sunday afternoon, two of the victims were still in serious condition. The rest are in fair condition, and one was treated and released, said Dr. Thomas Schermerhorn, the chief medical officer at Munson Medical Center. He said all the 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. We’ll continue working closely with law enforcement during their investigation,” Walmart said in a statement.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she has been in contact with law enforcement about the “horrible news.”
“Our thoughts are with the victims and the community reeling from this brutal act of violence. I am grateful to the first responders for their swift response to apprehend the suspect,” she tweeted.
Munson Healthcare is caring for the victims remaining in the hospital.
“Our dedicated team of physicians, surgeons, nurses, clinicians, and support staff remain focused on providing a healing environment for all those affected by this tragic incident,” Munson Healthcare said in a statement on Sunday. “We are working on providing additional emotional support for our employees in light of this incident. We extend our continued support to the victims and their families during this very difficult time.”
Angela Helfrich was at Walmart with her fiance during the attack. She told ClickOnDetroit that bystanders were comforting two of the people stabbed as other customers chased the attacker out of the store and held him in the parking lot until police arrived.
“It was just very panicky, very scary,” Helfrich said. “I’ve never witnessed anything like that, and I’ve lived in Traverse City my whole life. I was way too close. That could have been me or my family, and I feel awful for all the victims and their families.”
Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who lives in Traverse City, said in a statement, that “along with the whole Traverse City community, Chasten and I are shaken by the awful and senseless violence at Walmart earlier today. We’re thinking of everyone affected and hoping and praying for speedy recovery for all those who were injured.”
Traverse City is a popular vacation destination at the southern end of Lake Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay in northern lower Michigan. 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.