WAUKESHA, Wis. — Waukesha Police shot a 21-year-old man they say had a knife and took a shopper hostage inside the store Thursday night. Witnesses say the man was running around the store going after people with a weapon.
Friday morning, the Meijer store reopened in Waukesha.
Witnesses Ryan Klenz and Susan Phipps were shopping when the situation unfolded. They say the incident began near the front of the store, where the suspect had a confrontation with a Meijer employee.
Watch: Witnesses describe a ‘knife attack’ inside Waukesha Meijer that led to police shooting
"One of the workers, I believe he was one of the managers, said that when he exited the bathroom, that he did try to attack him and slice him," Klenz said.
Multiple witnesses said they heard the commotion and then saw the suspect running through the store with a knife.
"I heard a lot of commotion. I heard a lot of people screaming," Phipps said.
"He was kind of zig-zagging and trying to go after different people," Klenz said.
Police chased the suspect into an aisle where a 59-year-old man was shopping.
"That guy was kind of fighting off the suspect and was kind of taken hostage at that moment," Klenz said.
Klenz did not see the exact moment police opened fire, but he and many others in the store heard the shots.
"I heard three loud pops, and I knew right away they were gunshots," Phipps said.
I did see video of the aftermath that is too graphic to air. The victim's hand appeared to be severely injured. Police say they are still determining if the man was cut or shot.
"Obviously scary, unfortunate situation to be in," Klenz said.
Waukesha police say the 21-year-old suspect's name is not being released. He remains in the hospital in critical condition. Greenfield Police have taken over the investigation.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
