A 42-year-old man is accused of stabbing 11 people at a Walmart in Traverse City, Michigan, on Saturday afternoon in what police are calling a random attack.
The suspect, who allegedly used a folding knife in the attack, was taken into custody by law enforcement and citizens at the scene, Click on Detroit reported Sunday. It remained unclear how many people stepped in to stop the suspect and how they did it.
In a social media post on Saturday, the Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Office detailed what happened:
On 7-26-25 at 4:43 pm, a 42 year old male subject, acting alone, entered Walmart in Garfield Township and used a folding knife to stab eleven people of unknown ages. A Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Deputy was on scene within minutes and took the man into custody. Citizens in Walmart also assisted in the apprehension and treatment of victims. All victims are being treated for injuries at Munson Medical Center, many in serious or critical condition. Our Thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families. We will update when additional information is available.
When speaking of those who were hurt, Sheriff Michael Shea said, “Eleven is 11 too many, but thank God it wasn’t more,” according to WHMI.
Video footage shows the moment shoppers confronted the suspect, who was wearing dark pants, a tan colored shirt, and dark colored baseball cap. One man told him to “Drop the knife!” while several other men surrounded him in the parking lot.
Another man yelled at him to “Drop it! Throw the knife that way! Throw it away!” as the group moved between parked vehicles. Moments later, the camera showed what appeared to be a victim surrounded by other shoppers as they stood outside the Walmart’s doors:
In a social media post on Saturday evening, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Deputy Director Dan Bongino said, “FBI personnel are responding to provide any necessary support to the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office in their investigation of the attacks at the Walmart.”
Meanwhile, a witness named Angela Helfrich told reporters, “It was just very panicky, very scary. 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.”
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