A 42-year-old man from Michigan has been charged with terrorism and eleven counts of assault with intent to murder following a knife attack in a Traverse City Walmart on Saturday afternoon.
According to the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office, calls started coming in around 4:46 p.m. Shortly thereafter, a deputy arrived to find a group of people confronting the suspect in the parking lot of the store. The deputy arrested Bradford James Gille without any further issues.
The sheriff’s office reported that a 3 1/2 inch folding knife was used for the attack, which seemed to be directed at random individuals. Among the victims was a Walmart employee; six were men, and five were women, ranging in age from 29 to 70. They were transported to Munson Medical Center for further treatment after receiving initial aid from citizens, law enforcement, and emergency responders.
According to investigators, Gille reportedly arrived at the store at about 4:10 p.m. and remained in the store until he began his attack. The sheriff’s office said he has a prior history of “assaultive incidents as well as controlled substance violations.” Investigators have not yet determined a motive.
A video posted by WZZM showed several people confronting Gille in the parking lot, with one man in particular yelling at him to “throw it away,” regarding the knife. One of the men appeared to be holding a handgun on the suspect.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Munson Healthcare said Sunday that the 11 patients were showing “encouraging signs of recovery.”
Seven of the victims were listed in fair condition on Sunday, while the remaining four were in serious condition.
Gille pleaded not guilty and is due back in court on August 6.
Bond was set at $100,000 despite a judge signing an order a day before the attack ordering police to find him and take him to a hospital because he was a danger to himself and others, The Associated Press said.
