TRAVERSE CITY — Eleven were injured and a suspect is in custody after police say he stabbed them in a Walmart near Traverse City, according to Grand Traverse County Sheriff Mike Shea.
A person inside the store called emergency dispatchers at 4:43 p.m. Saturday to report stabbings in progress, Shea said. A sheriff’s deputy arrived within three minutes and took a 42-year-old man into custody with help from a civilian — Shea declined to say more about this until police know more about the incident.
Six men and five women were injured and three were in surgery as of Saturday evening, Shea said. At 8:30 p.m. Munson Healthcare reported that six people were in critical condition and five people are in serious condition at Munson Medical Center where they were were being treated.
“We are working closely with local authorities and emergency services to ensure the best possible care for those impacted,” the statement read. “We ask for the public’s patience and understanding as we manage this increased demand.”
Police believe the suspect chose the victims at random and attacked them with a folding knife, Shea said. The incident started near the checkout lanes toward the front of the store. The suspect appears to be a Michigan resident but Shea declined to give more specifics, and was unaware when he might be arraigned.
Mass-violence incidents like this are rare in the Grand Traverse region, Shea agreed. But unfortunately no one is immune to tragedies like this one.
“Be vigilant,” he said. “Know that no area is immune to this type of activity, unfortunately, and if you something, please reach out, call 911.”
Michigan State Police’s crime lab was expected to investigate the scene, Shea said. He didn’t have any information as to when the store might reopen to the public. Law enforcement is in contact with store management, and they’ll be able to reopen once police clear the scene.
Traverse City Police, Antrim County and Leelanau County sheriff’s deputies, East Bay Ambulance, MMR, Munson Medical Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigations assisted with the response, Shea said.