Suspect in Walmart stabbing deemed mentally ill during attack; prosecutor opts to seek treatment

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Bradford Gille, the man accused of stabbing 11 people at a Walmart in northern Michigan last summer, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The Grand Traverse County Prosecutor's Office says instead of pursuing criminal charges, it is going to advocate for continued mental health treatment. The plea was issued Tuesday morning during a preliminary examination in a Grand Traverse County courtroom. The attack happened on July 26, 2025, at a Walmart near Traverse City. Surveillance video from the store shows Gille pulling a knife from his pocket and attacking customers seemingly at random. He stabbed 11 people in all before being subdued by a group of bystanders in the parking lot, including one with a gun. Court records detail Gille's long history with mental health problems. His mother told News 8 that his mental illness dates back to his teens. In 2016, he was accused of digging up dead bodies in Petoskey and found not guilty by reason of insanity. He has previously been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder and severe depression. Following the attack, a competency exam was ordered and he was found not competent to stand trial and sent to undergo treatment. He was finally deemed competent in June. He faced one count of terrorism and 11 counts of assault with intent to murder. According to News 8 affiliate UpNorthLive, a forensic examiner who has evaluated Gille concluded that he was considered mentally ill by state law at the time of the attack and 'lacked substantial capacity to appreciate the nature/quality or wrongfulness of his conduct.' Gille is expected to go back to the Center for Forensic Psychiatry to continue treatment and will be evaluated again after 60 days. The prosecuting attorney told UpNorthLive that authorities do not expect Gille to be released to a 'non-secure environment' because of the 2025 attack and his prior insanity plea in 2016.