A mass stabbing incident at Michigan’s Walmart store has sent shockwaves across the city, but a man’s bravery has left the citizens inspired. When 42-year-old Bradford Gille went on a stabbing rampage at the departmental store on Saturday evening, injuring nearly a dozen shoppers, a Michigan man bravely confronted him in the parking lot. The man, now hailed as a hero, has been identified as Marine veteran Derrick Perry by his family members.
On July 26, Gille attacked multiple people with his 3.5-inch folding knife. Among his victims were men and women between the ages of 29 and 84, including a 70-year-old and three people in their 80s. A witness told NBC affiliates WPBN and WGTU that the accused targeted older people who “couldn’t physically & get out of his way” and “people in wheelchairs.”
“There was blood everywhere. There were people kind of sitting at the ends of aisles, just bleeding,” she further recalled the horror.
⭐ BREAKING:— At least 11 people were stabbed in a attack inside a Walmart in Traverse City, Michigan State of USA. pic.twitter.com/2YUzMkCXaD
— The Outpost (@outpostosint) July 27, 2025
A cellphone footage from Walmart’s parking lot in Traverse City, about 255 miles northwest of Detroit, is now going viral on social media, which shows an armed man confronting Gille. The marine veteran can be seen yelling at the attacker to drop his weapon.
Pointing his small handgun at Gille, Perry shouts, “Drop it! Throw the knife now. Throw it away!” Other men are seen standing close to him while one pushes a shopping cart towards Gille to force him to step back.
Cops arrived at the crime scene at around 5 pm after they received a call about the shocking incident. The sheriff’s office said in a statement, “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 from leaving. The deputy took the suspect into custody without further incident.”
The marine veteran is now garnering praises on social media for his act of bravery. “That Marine is a real hero,” a person wrote on X.
“The citizen with the pistol meant business,” wrote another. An X user said, “Give this man the recognition his actions deserve.”
🚨 HERO ALERT: Meet Derrick Perry, the GOOD GUY with a firearm who helped subdue the Walmart mass st*bbing suspect in Traverse City, Michigan, until police arrived, per local reports.
Give this man the recognition his actions deserve.
Good men who are armed save lives.
H/t… pic.twitter.com/a2hWssAgvb
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 27, 2025
Perry’s daughter wrote on Facebook that it’s a “proud daughter moment” for her. His daughter-in-law called him a “true hero” on social media.
A user tagged Donald Trump and wrote, “Derrick Perry is the good guy with a gun hero, who deserves the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Mr Perry who was armed, risked his life to save others from a deranged knife wielding psycho who went on a mass stabbing spree at Walmart.”
11 people were injured during the attack and were transported to Munson Medical Center for further treatment. Meanwhile, Gille has been “arrested and transported to the Grand Traverse County Jail where he will remain pending formal charging and arraignment,” announced the Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Office in a Facebook post.
He is being charged with one count of terrorism, 11 counts of assault with intent to murder. Though his motive behind the stabbing rampage isn’t revealed yet, the Sheriff’s office confirmed that Gille has a history of prior assaultive incidents.
