SPOKANE, Wash. — A former Fred Meyer employee was arrested after assaulting a coworker with a handsaw at a store located near Wandermere Thursday afternoon.
On Sept. 21 around 3:20 p.m., Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a call at the Frey Meyer on north Division for a person “using an axe to cut people.”
The 35-year-old man was a former store employee and was believed to be intoxicated.
As deputies were on scene, he cut multiple employees while he was swinging an axe around. With his unpredictable behavior, the store was evacuated.
Additional reports also mentioned that the man had a knife on hand as well.
Deputies went into the store and found the man in Aisle 35 and appeared to be unarmed. He followed commands and was taken into custody safely.
During a search, the man has a box cutter on him as well.
As he was being treated by firefighters, he was spitting on the floor and yelling that he was a demon. He was transported to the hospital for further evaluation.
One employee was injured and was treated on scene. She was transported to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
All of the weapons the man has included an axe, a folding camp saw, a crowbar and a hand saw.
During the investigation, the man was swinging the sand saw when he slashed the victim. He also attempted to hit another employee during a outburst.
The suspect also had a crowbar and damaged about $2,000 worth of store merchandise.
Fred Meyer closed during this incident, but opened about two hours after as employees cleaned up.
The 35-year-old man was booked into Spokane County Jail for two counts of assault and malicious mischief.
