Charges upgraded in case of man accused of attacking people with machete inside Long Island Dick's Sporting Goods
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. -- It was a scene out of a horror show.
A West Babylon man is accused of removing a machete from his backpack and attacking innocent victims inside a Long Island sporting goods store two weeks ago.
As CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported Monday, the charges have been upgraded to attempted murder. Some say the situation might have been worse because the suspect was in the store to buy rifles.
Dramatic video shows dozens of customers and store employees racing out of Dick's Sporting Goods in Patchogue on Aug. 12. According to Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, among those fleeing was the suspect, 22-year-old Treyvious Tunstall.
"It's alarming, given the unprovoked nature of it," Tierney said.
Tierney said Tunstall, without saying anything, is seen wielding a machete and attacking three people -- a customer and two employees shortly after purchasing that machete, a knife and backpack at Dick's of Bay Shore. Tunstall had asked to buy rifles there, but was redirected to the Patchogue location.
Tierney said while his ID and background check were underway, "The manager asked if there was anything he could help him with and then without provocation he just began attacking."
An indictment that was unsealed upgrades charges to attempted murder.
The victims, their families, and store employees came to court in Riverhead on Monday.
"Just, hopefully, justice will be served," a victim said.
The three victims are on the road to recovery, but the store manager has a skull fracture and severed tendons.
"As of now, he has not regained the use of his fingers," Tierney said.
The DA said Tunstall ran through a wooded area and was caught after throwing the machete near a dumpster. No motive for the attack has been determined and the suspect revealed nothing in court.
The suspect's mother was present in a show of support for her son, who has two priors for burglary and menacing. Tierney said red flag laws would have signaled that and should have prevented the rifle purchase.
"Any weapon in the hands of this defendant is a cause for concern. That concern increases with the deadly nature of the weapon. Fortunately, he did not get that rifle," Tierney said.
The "what ifs" are being debated. The victims were relieved after the judge set cash bail at $1 million and bond at $2 million.