News/Commentary

Guns save lives: Sheriff praises armed civilians who stopped Walmart stabbing spree that hospitalized 11

July 28, 2025 | | Print Article

The “amazing” effort of a good guy with a gun was praised by a Michigan sheriff after interceding in a stabbing spree that hospitalized 11 people.

“It’s not very often that we have citizens that are willing to step up and take action.”

(Video Credit: UpNorthLive)

Saturday in Traverse City, Michigan, a local Walmart became the site of an act of terrorism when alleged suspect Bradford James Gille proceeded to stab people at random. The mayhem was put to a stop when civilians, including one armed individual, chased the 42-year-old suspect out of the store and detained him until law enforcement arrived.

“At the time of the deputy’s arrival, multiple citizens, including one who was armed with a pistol, were confronting the male suspect in the parking lot and preventing him from harming further people and leaving,” said Grand Traverse County Sheriff Michael Shea during a Sunday press conference. “The deputy took the suspect into custody without further incident.”

“What they did was amazing,” the sheriff said when asked about the intervention seen in a viral video taken outside the Walmart. He also expressed, “I am fairly confident in saying that that is the suspect in the video.”

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(Video Credit: CBS News New York)

As for identifying the good guy with a gun, Shea said, “Well, I’d rather not comment on that.”

“What I would ask is for all of those people that were involved — first of all, I commend them. It’s not very often that we have citizens that are willing to step up and take action,” he went on. “And I ask that we grant them the privacy that they need right now. 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 atta boy.”

“I mean, when you look at the collaboration that took place from the citizen involvement to all emergency services, to our transport teams, to Munson Medical Center, to the media, it is unbelievable. And I think that speaks volumes for the community that we live in,” continued Shea. “So I ask that you do. You grant them, I know there’s things out there, I know the video’s out there. Let’s just give them some space.”

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Whether or not the sheriff’s petition was heeded is indeterminate, but it is known that efforts have been made to confirm the identity of the man with the firearm, said to be former Marine Derrick Perry, whose exercise of his Second Amendment rights was widely credited with preventing any further violence at the Walmart Saturday.

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As the suspect was charged with 11 counts of assault with intent to murder and one count of terrorism, an update on the victims reported by Click on Detroit detailed that all had been downgraded from critical condition, as seven were said to be in fair condition, with the remaining four in serious condition.

“Our dedicated team of physicians, surgeons, nurses, and support staff remains focused on providing a healing environment for all those affected by this tragic incident,” read a statement from Munson Medical Center. “Their unwavering commitment and compassion are a testament to the strength and resilience of our healthcare community. Additionally, we are working on providing additional emotional support for our employees in light of this incident. We extend our continued support to the victims and their families during this very difficult time.”

Kevin Haggerty
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