Eleven people were injured in a “random” stabbing by a man with a folding knife-style weapon at a Walmart in Traverse City, Michigan, Saturday, according to the Grand Traverse County sheriff.
A 42-year-old suspect, a Michigan resident, was taken into custody, Grand Traverse County Sheriff Michael Shea said at a news conference. Shea didn’t name the suspect but said authorities believe he acted alone.
“There is no information indicating there were additional suspects,” Shea said. “It appears that these were all random acts.”
The sheriff said three of the victims are undergoing surgery and he was awaiting more information about the status of all the victims. Six of the victims are male and five female, he said.
Munson Healthcare, a hospital system in northern Michigan, is treating 11 victims from the incident, according to their Facebook post, which did not provide details on the exact nature of the injuries or the conditions of the victims.
There was “citizen involvement” in taking the suspect into custody, Shea said. The suspect was not injured, he added.
The incident started near the checkout area and involved what “appears to be a standard folding knife-style weapon,” according to the sheriff.
He said that the Michigan State Police Crime Lab is en route to assist with processing the scene. Once the scene is cleared, the Walmart will be able to reopen.
FBI personnel are also responding to the incident to provide assistance, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a post on X.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she was in touch with law enforcement about the “horrible news” in a post on X. “Our thoughts are with the victims and the community reeling from this brutal act of violence,” Whitmer said. “I am grateful to the first responders for their swift response to apprehend the suspect.”
Walmart corporate spokesperson Kim Hess told CNN that the company was “working with police and right now will defer questions to them.”
Traverse City is located in northern Michigan, around 140 miles north of Grand Rapids.
CNN has reached out to Michigan State Police and Munson Healthcare for additional information.
Shea urged people to “be vigilant.”
Violence “is very uncommon for our area,” the sheriff said. “But unfortunately … no one is immune to this.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
