Crime
Traverse City Walmart Stabbing Suspect Identified as 42-Year-Old Man
TRAVERSE CITY, MI — Authorities have identified the suspect in the mass stabbing incident at the Walmart Supercenter in Traverse City as a 42-year-old man. The violent attack unfolded just before 5 p.m. on Saturday, prompting a major emergency response and leaving multiple victims injured.
According to local law enforcement and witnesses, the suspect entered the Walmart located at Crossing Circle and began randomly attacking shoppers with a knife.
Within minutes, Traverse City Police, supported by other emergency services, responded to the scene. The suspect was quickly apprehended and taken into custody.
Initial reports indicate that at least eleven individuals were stabbed, including an elderly woman and a child.
Several of the victims sustained serious injuries, with some requiring the application of tourniquets at the scene.
First responders declared a Level 2 Mass Casualty Incident and requested all Advanced Life Support (ALS) units in the county to respond.
Grand Traverse 911 issued a public advisory urging residents to avoid the area, noting there was no ongoing threat to the public.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos inside the store as customers and employees fled in panic. One witness, Tasha Nash, who was inside the store at the time, told Channel2 NOW, “The whole store started screaming and running. There was a guy with a knife — he stabbed six people. I saw a man stabbed in the eye.”
Another witness, Kathryn Ann Clark, told Channel2 Now that her friend’s son and another shopper managed to physically subdue the attacker. “It WAS a stabbing. No shots were fired,” she said, confirming rumors of gunfire were unfounded.
A Walmart employee corroborated that victims were found in multiple departments throughout the store, with some reportedly going into cardiac arrest following the incident.
Witness Amber Paull said the attacker appeared to “lose it” on random people in the produce and grocery aisles. She also described the heroic actions of a bystander who attempted to intervene with a firearm but was urged to flee along with others as the situation escalated.
Police have not yet released the suspect’s name, nor a possible motive, but confirmed that he is in custody and the investigation is ongoing.
Traverse City, located roughly 125 miles north of Grand Rapids, remains shaken by the unexpected violence.
Authorities are continuing to interview witnesses and review surveillance footage as they work to determine the full scope of the incident.
Christian County, Mo. — Authorities have identified the suspect accused of fatally shooting a deputy with the Christian County Sheriff’s Office during a traffic stop as Richard Bird.
At the time the Blue Alert was issued, the suspect had not yet been taken into custody.
According to law enforcement officials, the deputy initiated a traffic stop involving a 2001 Chevrolet extended cab pickup truck along State Highway 160 near Highlandville.
During the stop, the suspect allegedly opened fire, fatally wounding the deputy before fleeing the scene.
The suspect was reported to have traveled southbound on Highway 160 following the shooting.
Authorities described the suspect vehicle as a black 2001 Chevrolet extended cab pickup truck equipped with a silver brush guard, black body trim, tinted rear windows, and a three-ball trailer hitch. The vehicle was bearing Missouri license plate 9MG-X36.
A statewide Blue Alert was issued to notify the public and assist in locating the suspect.
Law enforcement officials urged residents not to approach the vehicle or suspect if located, but instead to immediately call 911 and provide detailed information while remaining at a safe distance.
Christian County is situated south of Springfield and north of Branson, an area that sees significant travel due to its proximity to the Ozarks.
Multiple agencies across the region coordinated efforts in response to the alert.
Authorities have not yet released further details regarding the circumstances surrounding the shooting or the status of the investigation.
Law enforcement officials expressed their condolences to the deputy’s family, colleagues, and the community as they continue to pursue justice in the case.