TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Chaos unfolded at a Walmart in Michigan after a man burst into the store during a calm shopping afternoon and stabbed 11 people at random, authorities say. The attack on Saturday left six victims in critical condition and a suspect in custody.
The 42-year-old suspect entered the store shortly before 5 p.m. and used a folding knife to stab the victims, the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on social media. Their ages weren’t immediately known.
A sheriff’s deputy arrived within minutes and took the man into custody.
Steven Carter was loading his truck in the Walmart parking lot when he saw a man cut a woman’s throat with a knife.
About five minutes later, the man 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, “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.”
Sheriff Michael Shea told reporters that bystanders at Walmart were involved in detaining the man.
“I want to acknowledge there was citizen involvement in assisting in taking the individual into custody,” Shea said at a press conference Saturday.
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, nearby as the response gave way to an investigation.
Tiffany DeFell, 36, who lives in Honor, about 25 miles 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.”
Munson Healthcare said via social media that 11 people were being treated at the region’s largest hospital in northern Michigan. Spokesperson Megan Brown said all were stabbing victims. As of Sunday morning, Brown said, four of the victims were in serious condition, and seven were in fair condition.
“We’ve have seen encouraging signs of recovery among our patients,” Brown said.
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.”
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said: “Our thoughts are with the victims and the community reeling from this brutal act of violence.”
Walmart said in a statement that it would continue to work closely with law enforcement in the investigation. On Sunday, a spokesman said he didn’t have any details about the store reopening and had no updates beyond the statement released late Saturday.
“Violence like this is unacceptable. Our thoughts are with those who were injured and we’re thankful for the swift action of first responders,” the statement said.
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 on the coast of Lake Michigan. It is known for its cherry festival, wineries and lighthouses and is about 25 miles east of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
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