On Saturday, July 26, 2025 something really frightening happened at a Walmart in Traverse City, Michigan. A man walked into the store around 5 p.m. and started hurting people with a small folding knife. He stabbed 11 people, leaving them injured. The police came super fast, and with help from brave shoppers, they caught the 42-year-old man in just three minutes. The sheriff said this man acted alone and didn’t seem to know the people he hurt—it was a random attack near the checkout area.
Helping the Hurt
All 11 people who were hurt were taken to Munson Medical Center, a big hospital nearby. As of Saturday night, six people were in critical condition, which means they’re very hurt, and five were in serious condition. Three needed surgery right away. The hospital said their doctors and nurses worked hard to take care of everyone, even though the emergency room was busier than usual. The people hurt were not Walmart workers, and there were six men and five women.
Brave Shoppers and Fast Police
When the attack started, some shoppers didn’t just run—they helped stop the man and even tried to help the injured people. One witness said it was scary, like a scene from a movie, with lots of police cars and ambulances outside. The Grand Traverse County Sheriff, Michael Shea, said, “Eleven is too many, but thank goodness it wasn’t more.” The police think the man is from Michigan, but they’re still figuring out why he did this. The FBI is helping with the investigation, and Michigan’s Governor, Gretchen Whitmer, said she’s keeping a close eye on the situation and feels sad for everyone affected.
What People Saw
A lady named Tiffany, who was in the parking lot, said it was super chaotic, with people running and screaming. Another person in the store saw someone get hurt in the eye and said the whole store was in a panic. Some thought they heard gunshots, but police said there was no gun—just a knife. An armed shopper may have helped stop the attacker, though police are still checking that story. Traverse City, a small town by Lake Michigan known for cherries and fun festivals, isn’t used to this kind of trouble, which made it even more shocking.