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.
Crime
Elgin Public Schools Teacher Holly Hill Dies From Complications Two Years After Drinking Poisoned Margarita
ELGIN, Okla. — The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) has launched a formal investigation into the death of Holly Hill, a 30-year-old teacher, wife, and mother from Elgin, Oklahoma, who died last week from long-term medical complications reportedly caused by ingesting a poisoned margarita at a local restaurant in 2023.
OSBI officials confirmed that the investigation began at the request of Comanche County District Attorney Kyle Cabelka following Hill’s death on Thursday.
According to Hill’s family, her health issues began on Valentine’s Day 2023, when she dined at Hacienda Las Margaritas Bar & Grill in Elgin.
During the evening, Hill ordered a second margarita that, unbeknownst to her, contained a highly caustic industrial cleaning chemical rather than the intended cocktail ingredients.
“Her mouth was on fire, and she knew something wasn’t right,” recalled Kelly Hunter, Hill’s mother. “She immediately jumped up and ran to the bathroom, started throwing up, and rinsing her mouth out with water.”
The ingestion caused severe internal burns to Hill’s esophagus and digestive tract, leading to two years of intense medical treatment.
Hill underwent more than 60 medical procedures, including repeated esophageal dilations and surgeries, as doctors attempted to repair the extensive damage.
Despite her deteriorating health, Hill continued teaching at Elgin Public Schools, where she was described as a dedicated educator loved by her students and colleagues.
In the days leading up to her death, Hill’s family believed she was finally recovering.
On October 17, doctors reportedly told them that her esophagus appeared to be healing. However, her condition suddenly worsened, and she went into cardiac arrest as medical staff prepared to transfer her. “As they were trying to get her ready to transport her, they lost her pulse,” Hunter said.
Hill’s family previously filed a civil lawsuit against Hacienda Las Margaritas, which was settled confidentially earlier this year, according to their attorney.
Following her death, the family is renewing calls for accountability and public awareness.
“The number one thing we really want at this point is for people to be aware of what happened at that restaurant and to quit supporting them,” Hunter said. “We want them to be held accountable for taking my daughter’s life. It might have been a long fight, but ultimately, they are the cause.”
The restaurant has not issued a recent public statement regarding Hill’s death. In a 2023 social media post, management wrote:
“We have never walked away from responsibility and will continue to support them in any way possible while our insurance company is on the case.”
Local officials confirmed that Elgin Police requested assistance from OSBI, and investigators are now reviewing evidence related to the original 2023 incident and Hill’s recent death.
In a statement, Elgin Public Schools expressed deep sorrow over Hill’s passing, describing her as “an Owl through and through” and asking the community to keep her family in their thoughts and prayers.
Hill leaves behind her husband and young child, as well as a community still reeling from a tragedy that began with what should have been an ordinary night out.