Michigan Walmart Stabbing: Veteran and Fellow Shoppers Subdue Suspect Accused of Terrorism
A harrowing scene unfolded at a Walmart in Traverse City, Michigan, this past weekend as a man allegedly stabbed 11 people before being subdued by a disabled veteran and other quick-thinking shoppers. The suspect, identified as Bradford Gille, has been charged with terrorism and 11 counts of attempted murder.
From Shopping Trip to Confrontation
Matthew Kolakowski, a 39-year-old disabled veteran, was shopping for fishing equipment and snacks with his daughter when the attack began. He first noticed the unfolding chaos after hearing an employee shout, “He has a knife,” followed by screams. Kolakowski recounted seeing a man running toward the cash registers. “Suddenly I see him appear and I swear that we crossed look at a minute and shouted my daughter: ‘Stay here!’” he said, recalling the moment he decided to intervene.
The suspect, wielding a knife with a blade of approximately 3.5 inches, allegedly continued his attack outside the store, stabbing an older woman in the back. Without a weapon of his own, Kolakowski grabbed a shopping cart and pursued the assailant, attempting to knock him down. “He simply ran behind her and buried her knife on her back, right in front of me,” Kolakowski stated. “He took the knife from her and prepared to flee, then stopped and hesitated and turned as if he were going after her again. That’s when he saw me with the shopping cart… I simply went as strong as I could and hit him on my ankles with the shopping cart from behind.”
Citizen Intervention and Apprehension
Kolakowski was quickly joined by another man wielding a shopping cart, and together they managed to restrain the suspect, later identified as Bradford Gille. A third individual reportedly brandished a weapon and repeatedly demanded Gille drop the knife, which he eventually did. Kolakowski then immobilized Gille until law enforcement arrived. “Honestly, I did not hesitate at all,” Kolakowski said from his home in nearby Kent City. “Although I was afraid of being stabbed myself, I just went ahead.”
The actions of Kolakowski and the other shoppers have been widely praised by authorities. Grand County Police Chief Michael Shea lauded their bravery, and a video of the confrontation quickly went viral on social media.
Victims and Suspect’s Background
All 11 victims – men and women ranging in age from 29 to 84, including a Walmart employee – are expected to survive their injuries. Authorities have revealed that Gille, 42, has a documented history of mental health issues and a lengthy record of arrests and fines in the Petoskey area dating back to 2001, including convictions for assault and domestic violence-related offenses.
In 2017, Gille was found not guilty by reason of insanity after being accused of vandalizing a funeral vault and disturbing tomb markers in a Petoskey cemetery. Just days before the stabbing, police in Petoskey had twice contacted Gille regarding housing concerns and even sought a court order on Friday to take him into protective custody, believing him to be a risk to himself or others. However, they were unable to locate him before the attack in Traverse City.
Gille’s mother, speaking to the Potoskey News-Review in 2007, described her son’s ongoing struggle with mental illness, praising the efforts of police and judges to help him. “It’s fine when you take your medication,” she said at the time. “The problem is that your disease tells you that you are fine and that you don’t need to take your medication.”
During his arraignment on Monday, Gille appeared agitated and suggested he was homeless. He was issued a $100,000 bail and entered a plea of not guilty.
A Disturbing Scene and Lingering Questions
Kolakowski described Gille’s demeanor in the Walmart parking lot as unsettling, noting his “exorbitant eyes” and profuse sweating, and a sense that he was “looking for an excuse to explain why he stabbed everyone.” Chris O’Brien, Kolakowski’s brother-in-law, who recorded the video of the confrontation, emphasized the speed at which the “crazy” scene unfolded and the potential for further harm had Kolakowski not intervened. “It is his courage what is the craziest part. It was something worthy of witnessing,” O’Brien said. “A guy was stabbing people and we were the following on his list if we didn’t do something well. Matt was determined to make sure he stopped there and then, and he certainly did.”
The incident raises critical questions about mental health access and the challenges of intervening with individuals in crisis. .
