Authorities seek to file terrorism and assault charges against suspect
in Walmart knife attack
[July 28, 2025]
By MIKE HOUSEHOLDER, RYAN SUN and MICHAEL CASEY
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A man accused of entering a Walmart in
Michigan and randomly stabbing 11 shoppers before being detained by
bystanders in the store parking lot is expected to face terrorism and
multiple assault charges, authorities said Sunday.
Grand Traverse County Sheriff Michael Shea said a motive behind the
attack by Bradford Gille, 42, of Afton, Michigan, remains unclear. Gille,
who Shea said had “prior assaultive incidents as well as controlled
substance violations,” said very little as he was arrested. The man is
expected to be charged with one count of terrorism and 11 counts of
assault with intent to murder.
Shea praised the quick response by law officers who arrived within three
minutes of receiving the call about the stabbing — as well as a group of
bystanders who intervened and detained Gille in the parking lot of the
store in Traverse City. The community of about 16,000 people is along
Lake Michigan.
Gille entered the store at 4:10 p.m. and remained there for some time
before the attack began, authorities said. Calls began coming in to
authorities at 4:43 p.m. on Saturday and a sheriff's deputy arrived at
4:46 p.m.
He said the “remarkable” efforts likely prevented others from being
harmed, adding a 3 and 1/2 inch (nearly 9-centimeter) cutting blade was
used in the attack.
“I cannot commend everyone that was involved enough,” Shea said at a
news conference. “When you stop and look from the time of call to the
time of actual custody, the individual was detained within one minute.”
Terrorism charges
Gille remained jailed and his name did not appear Sunday in Michigan’s
online jail records. Messages left Sunday with phone numbers and an
email listed for Gille were not immediately returned. His previous court
cases did not have an attorney’s name listed in public records.
Grand Traverse County Prosecutor Noelle Moeggenberg told reporters that
the terrorism charge will be brought due to the fact that the attack
impacted the community, rather than one individual.
“It’s something that is done not to individual people, not to those
individual victims — obviously they are most affected — but it is, we
believe, in some ways done to affect the entire community, to put fear
in the entire community and to change how maybe we operate on a daily
basis,” Moeggenberg said. "So that is why we are looking at that
terrorism charge."
Shea said the 11 victims were both men and women and they ranged in age
from 29 to 84 and included one Walmart employee. Munson Medical Center
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tom Schermerhorn, speaking at Sunday's news
conference, said one patient was treated and released; two were in
serious condition; and the rest are in fair condition. All were expected
to survive.
Witness accounts
Steven Carter was loading his truck in the Walmart parking lot when he
saw a man with a knife stab a woman in the throat.
[to top of second column]
|
This photo provided by the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office on
Sunday, July 27, 2025, shows Bradford Gille, who is accused of
stabbing 11 people at a Walmart on Saturday, July 26, in Traverse
City, Mich. (Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office via AP)
About five minutes later, he said, the attacker was surrounded by
shoppers in the parking lot, including one who was holding a gun.
The group of five or six people kept yelling to the man to “drop the
knife,” he said, and the man responded: “I don't care, I don't
care.” He kept backing away from the crowd, before someone tackled
and subdued him.
“At first, it was disbelief. I thought maybe it was like a terror
attack,” said Carter, who delivers customer orders from Walmart.
“And then it was fear, disbelief, shock. And that was, it was just
amazing. And it all happened fast. Like he was totally subdued on
the ground by the time police arrived.”
Emergency vehicles and uniformed first responders gathered in the
parking lot of the shopping center that houses several other retail
stores. Authorities also were seen interviewing employees, still
wearing blue uniform vests and name tags as the investigation
unfolded.
Tiffany DeFell, 36, who lives in Honor, about 25 miles (40
kilometers) from Traverse City, said she was in the store's parking
lot when she saw chaos erupt around her.
“It was really scary. Me and my sister were just freaking out,” she
said. “This is something you see out of the movies. It’s not what
you expect to see where you’re living.”
Shea said the weapon involved appeared to be a folding-style knife,
adding that the stabbing started near the checkout counter of the
store and that his victims were “not predetermined.”
Walmart said in a statement that it would continue to work closely
with law enforcement in the investigation. It said store associates
would be paid while the store remains closed and that counseling
services would be made available to them. It wasn't known when the
store would reopen.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a social media post that
bureau officials were responding to “provide any necessary support.”
Traverse City is a popular vacation spot. It is known for its cherry
festival, wineries and lighthouses and is about 25 miles (40
kilometers) east of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
__
Casey reported from Boston. Associated Press writer Sophia Tareen
contributed from Chicago.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
