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An armed bystander was seen on video heroically stopping a knife-wielding man who authorities say stabbed 11 people at a Walmart in Michigan on Saturday.
The man, identified by family as Derrick Perry, is seen in the video pointing a firearm at the suspect in the store’s parking lot in Traverse City as he and other bystanders shout “drop the knife!” Perry is a Marine veteran, the New York Post reported, citing his family.
“What they did was amazing,” Grand Traverse County Sheriff Michael Shea told reporters during a media briefing on Sunday.
Perry and the other bystanders ended the suspect’s rampage without firing a shot and held him until authorities arrived to take the man into custody without injury.
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Derrick Perry was identified by family as the armed man who helped detain a knife-wielding suspect who authorities say stabbed 11 people at a Walmart in Traverse City, Michigan, on Saturday, July 26, 2025. (Facebook/Katrina Derrick Perry )
“First of all, I commend them. It’s not very often that we have citizens that are willing to step up and take action, and I ask that we grant them the privacy that they need right now,” the sheriff said. “If they choose to make a public statement, they will. But I would ask that we all just give them a little space and say, attaboy.”
The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Bradford James Gille, of Afton, Mich., acted alone when he entered the store wielding a folding knife with a 3.5-inch blade, the sheriff said. He faces terrorism charges and 11 charges of assault with intent to murder.
Bradford James Gille, 42, of Afton, Michigan, is accused of committing a mass stabbing attack at a Walmart in Traverse City, Michigan on July 26, 2025. (Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office)
The 11 victims, ranging in age from 29 to 84-years-old, were all expected to survive, Munson Healthcare officials said. One patient has been released while five were listed in fair condition, two in good condition, one in serious condition and two others were treated and transferred as of Monday morning.
The Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office shared an image of the knife Bradford James Gille, 42, of Afton, Michigan, allegedly used while committing a mass stabbing attack at a Walmart in Traverse City, Michigan on July 26, 2025. (Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office)
The Overheard in Traverse City Facebook group wrote a post recognizing the brave actions of Perry.
“This is Derrick Perry!” read the post. “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.”
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Perry’s daughter replied to the post, describing her father’s heroic life-saving actions as a “proud daughter moment.” His daughter-in-law wrote in a separate post that Perry is a “true hero.”
This image provided by Steven Carter shows law enforcement officers responding to a stabbing attack at a Walmart in Traverse City, Mich, Saturday July 26, 2025. (Steven Carter via AP)
The National Association for Gun Rights called Perry a “good guy with a gun” whose courage “deserves recognition” in a post on X.
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Meanwhile, authorities have said that the motive for the stabbing remains unknown.