Viral Walmart Video Shows Gun-Wielding Bystander Stopping Stabbing Suspect
The founder of a local scanner page wrote on Facebook that two Marine veterans were involved in stopping the suspect, who was named by the sheriff as Bradford James Gille.
Matt Kolakowski, a former Marine, spoke to CNN about helping to stop Gille.
'I thought to myself, 'Well, I don't got no weapon, so what am I going to do?' So, I just grabbed an empty grocery cart and just took off after him as hard as I could,' Kolakowski said to CNN.
Derrick Perry was named as the armed bystander on the Overheard in Traverse City Facebook page, information which was confirmed by two relatives online.
Kolakowski confirmed to CNN that a second former Marine was involved in stopping the suspect. The sheriff was asked by a reporter about Derrick Perry at the news conference, but he declined to confirm any bystanders' names.
The mass stabbing attack, which the sheriff called "random," left 11 people injured in the hospital. The motive is still not clear, the sheriff said in a news release.
CNN authenticated the video, which shows the suspect being surrounded by bystanders in the parking lot. One is pointing a gun at him, and another man is pushing a shopping cart. The sheriff, Mike Shea, called what the bystanders did "amazing" and said he knows the "video is out there."
Derrick Perry, Matt Kolakowski, and the other bystanders are being called heroes online
The bystanders are being lauded as heroes online.
"Thank you Derrick! You are a hero!" a person wrote on X.
"An incredible American," wrote another person.
"This is Derrick Perry ! He is the hero from today's stabbing at Walmart , he is the man that took his gun out and risked his own life to save many lives ! Thank you so much Derrick," the post on the Overheard in Traverse City page says, sharing Perry's photo.
"So happy to be this man's daughter in law! True hero! So proud of him for protecting so many today," a woman wrote on the comment thread.
That woman's husband wrote, alongside a photo of Perry, "Proud to have you as my step-dad."
Lisa Judi Sherm, founder of the Facebook page Greater Grand Rapids Scanner Calls, wrote on Facebook that "the assailant was beginning to flee after his rampage, but was met in the parking lot by several brave citizens."
"One of those individuals to take down the attacker, Matthew.K of Kent City, MI, was in town for a family vacation. His family made a stop to the store for some supplies and had just finished checking out, when a store employee shouted the dire warnings over the intercom. 'There's a man with a knife!!'' she wrote.
"As they exited the store, Matthew saw the attacker had injured 2 people including an elderly woman. Matthew directed his young daughter to stay back, and went into Marine Mode."
She added, "Matthew is a veteran of the Marine Corps and has extensive training and experience in high stress situations. Without much hesitation, he grabbed a nearby shopping cart and rammed it straight into the achilles tendon of the assailant, causing him to fall forward. Thankfully Matthew (in the purple shirt) didn't act alone. He had the assistance of another citizen, who just so happened to be a Marine veteran as well, and held the attacker at gunpoint, until he dropped the knife. Thats when multiple people tackled him until PD arrived moments later, taking the 42 year old attacker into custody."
Officials at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City said in a Facebook statement that they are treating 11 victims.
"I want to acknowledge that there was citizen involvement in taking the individual into custody," Shea said in a news conference. "We'll have more information on that later."
He said the attack initially started "near the checkout area." The New York Times quoted a witness as saying people were also stabbed at the Walmart pharmacy area.
According to Shea, authorities were not familiar with the suspect before.
The sheriff said in the news conference that authorities were on the scene within three minutes of the first 911 call.
What's known about the Walmart suspect
The sheriff said the suspect is a 42-year-old Michigan resident. These are "random acts," said Shea. "We believe he acted alone at this time."
The weapon appears to be a "folding knife," Shea said.
There are six male victims and five female victims. Three are undergoing surgery, and their conditions were not clear, he said. The victims were not named.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families," said Shea.
Shea said he could not comment on whether there were any mental health concerns.
The sheriff said he did not want to provide any further details about the suspect's background.
The Michigan State Police confirmed on X that the stabbing had occurred. "Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office is investigating a multiple stabbing incident at the Wal-Mart in Traverse City. The suspect is in custody, details are limited at this time," they wrote.
Viral Walmart Video Shows Gun-Wielding Bystander Stopping Stabbing Suspect first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 27, 2025
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