Michigan Walmart Stabbing Suspect Charged with Terrorism After 11 Injured

Bradford Gille, the suspect accused of stabbing 11 people at a Walmart near Traverse City, Michigan, has a long history of severe mental illness and criminal behavior. His mental health struggles span nearly three decades, beginning with a severe reaction to drugs at age 15, and include diagnoses of schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia, along with repeated psychotic episodes and hospitalizations. Nine years ago, Gille was found not guilty by reason of insanity for digging up and mutilating dead bodies at a Petoskey cemetery, leading to a year of psychiatric treatment. Despite multiple interactions with law enforcement and court orders for treatment, including one the day before the attack, authorities were unable to secure his hospitalization. Prosecutors have charged Gille with attempted murder and a rarely used terrorism charge, arguing his attack was meant to instill fear in the community, though experts doubt the terrorism charge will hold. Gille’s family has expressed frustration over the lack of long-term mental health care options, highlighting the ongoing challenges in managing his condition and preventing such violent incidents.