Crime
Who is Bradford James Gille? Suspect who stabbed 11 people at Traverse City Walmart
TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN — Authorities have identified 42-year-old Bradford James Gille of Afton, Michigan, as the suspect behind Saturday’s mass stabbing at a Walmart Supercenter in Traverse City.
The random and violent attack left 11 people injured, including victims in their 80s.
According to Grand Traverse County Sheriff Michael D. Shea, Gille is believed to have acted alone, and officials are “very confident” in his identification as the perpetrator.
The attack unfolded shortly before 5 p.m. on July 20, when Gille allegedly entered the store armed with a folding knife and began stabbing customers in multiple departments without provocation.
Victims were reported across the store, with some sustaining critical injuries. Munson Healthcare confirmed it is treating 11 individuals—five are listed in serious condition and six remain in critical condition.
Witnesses described a scene of chaos and terror as customers fled in all directions. Some victims reportedly went into cardiac arrest, and others were treated with emergency tourniquets before transport to nearby hospitals.
Despite the sudden violence, several civilians acted decisively to end the attack.
Among them was Derrick Perry, a licensed concealed-carry holder, who confronted the suspect with his firearm, risking his own life to protect others. Perry’s brave actions allowed time for others to assist in disarming the suspect.
Also instrumental in stopping the assailant was Matthew K., a Marine Corps veteran visiting from Kent City with his family.
After hearing the emergency alert over the store’s intercom and witnessing the suspect stab an elderly woman, Matthew directed his daughter to safety and used a shopping cart to strike the suspect in the leg, causing him to fall forward. He was soon joined by another Marine veteran who held the suspect at gunpoint until police arrived.
Bodycam and civilian footage from the incident captured the moment shoppers tackled and subdued Gilley in the parking lot. Law enforcement arrived within minutes and took the suspect into custody without further incident.
The FBI has joined the investigation, and authorities say charges against Gilley may include multiple counts of assault with intent to murder, with possible terrorism enhancements pending further review. Sheriff Shea confirmed Gilley has a prior criminal history that includes assaultive behavior and controlled substance violations.
Residents, store employees, and loved ones of victims have taken to social media to express gratitude for the brave civilians who intervened. “Please say a prayer for the 11 victims,” wrote one family member, whose relative was slashed in the throat during the rampage. “She is one of the lucky ones and will recover.”
Traverse City Police, Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office, and emergency medical services responded en masse. Local authorities advised the public to avoid the Walmart area on Crossing Circle as first responders remained on scene into the evening.
Officials confirmed there is no ongoing threat to the community. The investigation remains active.
Crime
Mustapha Kharbouch Now-Deleted 2024 Manifesto Published in Institute for Palestine Studies Recovered
Brown University has removed multiple online references to student activist Mustapha Kharbouch in the days following a deadly campus shooting, a move that has drawn public attention amid heightened online speculation—despite law enforcement officials confirming that no suspects or persons of interest have been identified in the investigation.
Archived versions of Brown University webpages show that Kharbouch, a first-year student at the time, was previously listed in several university-affiliated roles, including as a student assistant and Cultural Programming Coordinator connected to the Global Brown Center.
His academic interests were described as focusing on International and Public Affairs and Anthropology, with involvement in Middle East–focused academic, cultural, and student programming.
Those pages are no longer accessible, and Kharbouch’s social media accounts have also been deactivated.
A verified buyer from the United States with the name “Mustapha K.” reviewed a 9MM muzzle brake through the Wing Tactical website on December 29th, 2024 — the same caliber used in the Brown shooting.
There are approximately a few hundred people in the entire United States with that first name + last initial combination.
University officials have not issued a public explanation for the removal of the online profiles.
The changes occurred as online speculation intensified in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, with social media users circulating screenshots of archived university pages and past writings associated with Kharbouch.
Among the materials resurfaced by online users was a 2024 essay authored by Kharbouch and published by the Institute for Palestine Studies as part of a special student essay series titled Genocide in Gaza: Student Essays — Brown University Encampment 2024.
The essay, titled “I Hear the Voice of My Ancestors Calling: From the Camps to the Campus,” was published on August 13, 2024, months before the shooting. The piece is a first-person reflective essay examining Palestinian identity, intergenerational memory, student activism, and questions of hope amid displacement, war, and protest.
The article includes poetic excerpts adapted from “Ancestors Song,” a chant popularized during student-led Palestine solidarity actions at Brown University, and documents Kharbouch’s participation in campus organizing efforts, including sit-ins, hunger strikes, rallies, and the Brown Gaza Solidarity Encampment.
The essay situates these experiences within a broader discussion of decolonial thought, feminist theory, and Palestinian history, including reflections on the 1948 Nakba and the author’s family history as a third-generation stateless Palestinian refugee raised in Lebanon.
The content of the essay is ideological, autobiographical, and academic in nature.
There is no reference to violence on campus, nor any indication of intent or planning related to criminal activity.
The Institute for Palestine Studies has not issued any statement suggesting the piece is under review or connected to the shooting.
Despite widespread online conjecture, law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and Providence Police, have not named Mustapha Kharbouch as a suspect or person of interest, and have publicly stated that there is no evidence linking him to the shooting.
Investigators have emphasized that the case remains active and that conclusions are being guided strictly by verified evidence.
Authorities have cautioned against drawing inferences from online speculation, warning that unsubstantiated claims can compromise investigations and cause undue harm to individuals not implicated by facts.
Media analysts and campus observers have suggested that Brown University’s decision to remove online references may have been taken as a protective or precautionary measure, particularly as misinformation and harassment proliferated across social media platforms following the attack.
Similar actions have been taken by institutions in other high-profile incidents to limit doxxing, targeted harassment, or the misinterpretation of publicly available biographical information during periods of heightened tension.
Brown University has not confirmed whether the removals were temporary, administrative, or safety-related in nature.
Authorities continue to urge the public to rely on confirmed information released by law enforcement and to avoid amplifying unverified narratives.
As of the most recent update, no arrests have been announced, no individuals have been publicly identified as suspects, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with credible information related to the shooting has been asked to contact investigators directly.