At least 11 people were stabbed in a violent rampage inside a Walmart in Traverse City, Michigan.
The incident began around 4:43PM on Saturday (July 27), the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office reported.
According to ABC News, a 42-year-old man, believed to be a Michigan resident, began randomly attacking shoppers near the store’s checkout area using a folding knife.
“Based on the information that we have at this time, they were random acts,” Sheriff Michael Shea said at a press conference, describing the incident as “very uncommon” for the city. “Eleven [victims] is too many, but thank God it wasn’t more," he added, per The New York Post.
The victims were rushed to the Munson Medical Center in Traverse City. Six were in critical condition and five were in serious condition, the hospital said in an update online.
The horrifying attack caused widespread panic inside the store as customers and employees scrambled for safety.
“The whole store started screaming and running,” employee Tasha Nash told Channel2 Now. “There was a guy with a knife - he stabbed six people. I saw someone stabbed in the eye.”
The carnage ended when two shoppers, one of them armed, intervened to subdue the attacker before deputies arrived just minutes after a 911 call was made. The suspect was quickly taken into custody without further injuries reported.
“Thankfully, no one else was injured,” Shea noted. “We believe he acted alone at this time. There is no information indicating there were additional suspects.”
Video footage from the scene captured the suspect surrounded by yelling bystanders, including the armed civilian, moments before law enforcement arrived.
Pictures from Channel 2 Now also show the man being placed in a Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office vehicle.
Outside, stunned shoppers who had arrived during or just after the attack recounted the overwhelming emergency response. “We were getting ready to go into Walmart as this was happening,” one witness wrote on X.
“Of course, we weren’t allowed to go in. I have never seen so many police cars, ambulances, fire trucks, rescue vehicles, and crime scene vehicles! They sent the employees home and told all of the customers to leave. Wow," they added.
Traverse City, located roughly 255 miles northwest of Detroit and home to about 16,000 residents, is reeling from the rare mass violence.
“Violence like this is unacceptable. Our thoughts are with those who were injured, and we’re thankful for the swift action of first responders,” a Walmart spokesperson said in a statement.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also responded to the attack on social media: “I’m in touch with law enforcement about the horrible news out of Traverse City. Our thoughts are with the victims and the community reeling from this brutal act of violence. I am grateful to the first responders for their swift response to apprehend the suspect.”
The FBI is assisting local authorities in the ongoing investigation. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said the agency is “providing any necessary support” to the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities continue to urge the public to avoid the area as the investigation unfolds.