Victim Sues Walmart After Traverse City Store Stabbing, Seeks Damages
A man wounded in the July 26 mass stabbing at the Crossing Circle Walmart has sued Walmart and the accused assailant, alleging the store failed to provide adequate security and follow safety procedures that could have prevented the attack. The lawsuit raises questions for local shoppers and policymakers about retail security, staff training, and how stores respond to suspicious behavior.
A Traverse City shopper who suffered life altering injuries in the July 26 mass stabbing at the Crossing Circle Walmart has filed a civil lawsuit alleging the retailer failed to protect customers and follow its own safety procedures. The complaint, brought by plaintiff Aaron Boudot and handled by Morgan & Morgan, names Walmart and the man charged in the attack, Bradford James Gille, and seeks damages in excess of $25,000.
The suit alleges witnesses saw Gille walking through the store for more than 30 minutes carrying a large green duffel backpack and acting suspiciously, and that employees did not ask him to leave or contact police during that period. The complaint contends the Traverse City store had no security on site despite a history of violent incidents at other Walmart locations nationwide, and that employees failed to execute safety procedures that might have intervened before violence began.
Boudot was stabbed multiple times while shielding his wife and four children, the suit says. He required treatment at Munson Medical Center for an injury to his right axillary artery and was diagnosed with acute blood loss anemia. The complaint also alleges nerve damage and reduced feeling and movement in his right arm, and ongoing physical and mental health needs including anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder.
The criminal case against Gille includes multiple felony counts, such as terrorism and assault with intent to murder. He has a documented history of mental health issues and was found not competent to stand trial in August. He remained in treatment at the Michigan Center for Forensic Psychiatry and a motion hearing in the criminal case is scheduled for Dec. 12.
For Grand Traverse County residents the lawsuit highlights both immediate and long term concerns. Shoppers and families may reassess safety at large retail stores, and the case could pressure local store managers and corporate officials to reexamine on site security staffing, staff training, and reporting protocols for suspicious behavior. From a policy perspective the suit represents a test of premises liability standards for national retailers operating in small communities and could influence how municipalities engage with private businesses on public safety planning.
As the civil and criminal proceedings move forward this winter, the case will remain closely watched by those directly affected and by community leaders weighing changes to store level security and emergency response practices.
