42-year-old Bradford James Gille has been identified as the suspect in the mass stabbing of 11 people at a Michigan Walmart outlet over the weekend. According to Grand Traverse County Prosecutor Noelle Moeggenberg, the knifeman is now facing charges of terrorism and assault with intent to murder. 

At a press conference held Sunday, authorities notified that all victims affected during Saturday’s stabbing incident at Traverse City are expected to survive. Police said that Bradford Gille reportedly entered the Michigan Walmart at 4:10 pm (US time) and launched his violent rampage. Prior to the progress made in the victims’ medical conditions, six people remained in critical condition and five others were in serious condition on Saturday night. 

After being taken into custody, he was transported to Traverse County Jail. While he awaits trial, ABC-affiliated local news outlet WXYZ Detroit reported that prosecutors may charge the man with one count of terrorism and 11 counts of assault with intent to murder. 

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What more do we know about Bradford James Gille?

Gille is believed to have wielded a folding knife with a 3.5 inch blade during his Saturday meltdown. Officials have not yet pinned down a motive, and so, they’re currently calling it a “random act of violence.” 

The alleged 42-year-old knifeman is a resident of Afton, Michigan, revealed Grand Traverse Sheriff Mike Shea during the recent press conference. The location put Bradford Gille at a 90-mile distance from the Walmart outlet where the unprecedented event unfolded. Citing documents, Newsweek divulged that the man in question has also lived in several other counties in the vicinity, including Emmet and Presque Isle County. 

Bradford James Gille reportedly wrote books, one titled as ‘The Book of I Jesus Christ’

Gille appears to have authored two self-published books available on Amazon, one of which indicates he turned to Christian faith at age 14 in 1997 after losing one of his close friends. 

One of these books alleges that Gille encountered his past lives dating back millions of years in his dreams. “Some of those New Testament dreams of mine portrayed me as Jesus Christ or God and him as Judas Iscariot,” he writes, as quoted by The New York Post. In a second book published January 2024, the man shares another account that supposedly revealed his own identity as “Jesus Christ and the spirit as Judas Iscariot.”

Contrary to what Gille wrote in his reported books, far-right influencer Laura Loomer wrote on her X, “What are the odds that the person who went on a stabbing rampage in Michigan today is a Muslim immigrant? Michigan has been invaded. Deport them all.” 

In a follow-up tweet, she plugged a screenshot of an online chat, suggesting that Gille was a “foreign guy.” She went on to push unsubstantiated claims about the suspect being “an Islamic immigrant.” The recent official press conference, however, counters all of Loomer’s baseless accusations.

Walmart suspect’s mental health addressed

Sheriff Mike Shea did not directly address the Walmart stabbing suspect’s mental health history, but he did not completely rule out the possibility of “some sort of mental health issue” being involved either. 

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Back in 2007, Beverly Gille, the Walmart suspect’s mother, told the Petoskey News-Review that her son was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. As per the Mayo Clinic, this condition can lead to hallucinations, delusions and even violent behaviour. “The problem is, his illness tells him that he is fine and doesn’t need to take his medication,” she told them at the time. “He’s also been through the (mental health) evaluations so many times that he knows how to answer their questions.”

Even beyond the Saturday incident, the man already has a criminal history, including assault and controlled substance violation. Official documents further assert that he has a criminal drug possession history and vandalism charges in Florida. Having been arrested on multiple occasions, Bradford James Gille served 49 days in a Florida jail in 2014 for the latter charge. 

Walmart stabbing suspect’s purported social media presence

On top of that, an account named Bradford James (@BradfordGille) caught people’s attention on X. As reported by the Hindustan Times, the profile featured posts about Palestine and Hitler, dating back to 2022-2023. 

“If Israel became a country by killing Palestinians and stealing their land when did that happen because hasn’t that land always been God’s dwelling place?” reads one recent tweet. 

Akin to claims about dreams made in Gille’s purported books, the user said in 2022, “There were 10 dreams and 1 possible flashback I had about me being in WW2. This photograph shows Hitler greeting one of his soldiers who looks like me from what I can still tell being in the shade and if he is I pray that I was one of the soldiers who helped the Jews escape.”

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Authorities were already looking for Gille before the Walmart attack. Officials from Petoskey obtained a court order Friday afternoon from Emmet Country Probate Court to detain the man over an unspecified concern, as per The Detroit News. Alas, as they failed to nab him beforehand, the Michigan tragedy could not be averted. 

Grand Traverse County Prosecutor Noelle Moeggenberg said Gille is expected to be arraigned Monday or Tuesday.