Walmart mass stabbing witness: ‘Team effort’ contained suspect

• Chris O’Brien, 43, from Sparta, witnessed the stabbing in Walmart in Traverse Metropolis, giving 11 folks lifeless.
• In a video that O’Brien took, customers comprise the stabbing suspect.

Throughout a household journey to Torch Lake, Chris O’Brien went to Walmart for some fishing piles and pop. However he left as a witness to an enormous touchdown.

“We simply went there to get some issues and be on the best way, then absolute concern occurred,” stated O’Brien, 43, of Sparta.

He was the person who took a extensively scattered video of residents who comprise the suspect in a caught of July 26 in Walmart in Traverse Metropolis during which 11 folks have been injured. Folks shout across the suspect to drop the knife what he appears to do.

Minutes earlier than the video begins, O’Brien and his brother -in -law, Matt Kolakowski, 39, on the money register on the entrance with Kolakowski’s daughter and her pal when he stated she stated somebody was shouting: “He has a knife.”

O’Brien and Kolakowski, a marine veteran, instructed the women to remain inside after which went to the stage.

Kolakowski, who may be seen within the video with out sneakers and carrying a purple shirt, grabbed a procuring cart on the best way to the scene, and O’Brien stated they noticed the person stabbing two folks whereas they walked in direction of him.

O’Brien stated that Kolakowski used the procuring cart to the touch the suspect, who later referred to as the police as Bradford James Gille. One other individual with a procuring cart cornered the suspect earlier than the suspect walked between two automobiles.

That’s when the “nice reduction” of an individual with the gun appeared and “the state of affairs was dissolved,” stated O’Brien.

O’Brien stated he was beginning to tackle for video check after he thought the suspect may very well be shot and killed.

“What went by means of my thoughts is:” I hope I do not die, “stated O’Brien.

Walmart -employee: When remembering Stabbing Spree: “I nonetheless cannot imagine this occurred”

O’Brien stated the group of residents didn’t know one another till they labored collectively within the 3 to five minutes of chaos wanted to cease stabbing.

“It was, it was an excellent group effort between all of the boys concerned,” stated O’Brien. “No person desires the radiant gentle. We soak up it, however it’s not one thing in search of. They did very effectively as a group. We might not cease. The person didn’t get away. My brother -in -law was anticipated to be stabbed.”

After the incident, O’Brien stated that he discovered that the suspect was within the retailer for half-hour earlier than stabbing. Whereas procuring within the retailer earlier, his niece and her boyfriend have been in a unique half than Kolakowski and O’Brien.

“We had (unknowingly) at risk,” stated O’Brien. “The whole lot might have occurred. We might have been stabbed.”

Though he and his brother -in -law instructed the women to remain on the shop and the parking zone, he stated they lastly went to the truck and the remainder of the household referred to as again on the lodge.

After the incident, they stated they have been in Walmart for an additional hour and surrendering a police assertion. O’Brien stated he thought three folks have been stabbed and did not realize it was 11.

“It was crazier for us once we heard Chaos broke out within the retailer for 10 seconds,” he stated. “We did not know if he stabbed random folks within the retailer. We do not know the way it all occurred.”

O’Brien stated he did not know this may be a nationwide story.

“It looks as if an enormous deal, and it is a horrible factor, we get it, however we see different horrible issues that the tales do not get,” he stated. “We puzzled if it was a terrorist assault. We don’t know.”

O’Brien stated he was stunned that this occurred, however he is not going to let him cease to return to the world.

“Nothing of this is sensible,” stated O’Brien. “Why did he finish that deep finish to do that?”

The suspect, Bradford James Gille, was fored on one rely of crime terrorism and 11 counts of abuse with the intention of killing within the 86th district courtroom in Grand Traverse County on July 28.

From the morning of July 28, a sufferer of the stabbing stays will stay in critical situation, whereas 5 victims are in affordable situation, two sufferers are in good situation, two sufferers have been handled and handed over and one affected person was handled and launched from the hospital, in line with Munson Healthcare.

Please contact Natalie Davies at ndavies@freepress.com.