An armed civilian helped put an end Saturday to a knife-wielding man’s stabbing spree at a Michigan Walmart that wounded 11 before police said they arrived on the scene.
The Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office said citizens, including one man with a handgun, stepped in to apprehend the 42-year-old suspect, whose identity hasn’t been shared, after a rampage that left six people fighting for their lives.
Authorities have also not announced charges in the incident as of yet.
Witness videos on social media show a pistol-carrying man training his firearm on the suspect and ordering him to throw his knife away. Two other men are seen surrounding the suspect after he seemingly discards the weapon.
The video also briefly pans over to a blurred-out victim, who appears to be doubled over from a stab wound near the Walmart entrance.
The sheriff’s office said a deputy rushed to the megastore minutes later and arrested the man around 4:45 p.m. Saturday.
Authorities said the suspect used a folding-style knife in the attack that started near the store’s checkout area.
“Eleven is 11 too many, but thank God it wasn’t more,” Sheriff Michael Shea said during a press conference Saturday. “There is no information indicating there were additional suspects. It appears that these were all random acts.”
Police did not share the ages of any of the victims, but said six of them were males and five were females.
“Our thoughts are with the victims and the community reeling from this brutal act of violence,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wrote on X. “I am grateful to the first responders for their swift response to apprehend the suspect.”
Walmart said it is working with police to aid in the investigation.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino also said the agency is “responding to provide any necessary support to the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office in their investigation of the attacks at the Walmart.”
• This story is based in part on wire service reports.
