TRAVERSE CITY (WWJ) -- The man accused of carrying out a random knife attack that left 11 people injured at a Traverse City Walmart will not face prison time after being found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity.
Bradford Gille, 42, of Afton, was facing one count of terrorism and 11 counts of attempted murder in connection to the July 26, 2025 stabbing spree.
Grand Traverse County Prosecuting Attorney Noelle Moeggenberg announced Tuesday that the criminal case has officially concluded following Gille’s plea.
Prosecutors said the court reviewed forensic evaluation reports from the Center for Forensic Psychiatry before reaching the determination. The court found that Gille was mentally ill at the time of the offense and, as a result of that mental illness, was unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct or conform his actions to the requirements of the law.
Rather than serving time in a correctional facility, Gille will be ordered to the Center for Forensic Psychiatry for mental health treatment. After 60 days, he will undergo an evaluation, and a petition will be filed with the Probate Court to secure ongoing mental health treatment.
Gille’s treatment and ongoing supervision will be overseen by the NGRI Committee under the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
The charges stem from the July attack inside the Traverse City Walmart. Prosecutors initially charged Gille with terrorism and 11 counts of assault with intent to murder.
During his initial video arraignment in 86th District Court, Gille interrupted proceedings with a bizarre outburst, alleging that tobacco companies were putting chemicals in cigarettes to kill off the population. Magistrate Tammi Rodgers ultimately muted his microphone, setting his bond at $10 million and calling the accusations the "most heinous" to come before the court in over 30 years.
Law enforcement officials praised a group of quick-thinking bystanders who intervened during the incident, detaining Gille in the store's parking lot until police arrived within minutes of the call. Hospital workers at Munson Healthcare treated the victims, while also providing psychological support for community members and staff affected by the violence.
All 11 stabbing victims survived.
Moeggenberg noted that Gille’s release into a non-secure environment following treatment is "highly unlikely," citing both the gravity of the Walmart attack and a prior NGRI plea Gille made in 2016.
Officials never released an official motive for the attack, maintaining that the victims appeared to have been chosen entirely at random.
