Over a dozen Michigan stores, including a Kroger and Whole Foods Market around Ann Arbor, Midland, Birch Run, and Saline, are believed to have suffered attacks by a man who sprayed a mixture of hand cleaner and rat poison in vegetable displays throughout the stores. Thus far the Washtenaw County Public Health Department says there have been no deaths but dozens of reports of vomiting and diarrhea are believed to be related to the attack.
The FBI knows for certain that three stores were affected in the past two weeks and believe that about 15 stores may have been attacked over the past two months. The suspect, 29-year-old Kyle Bessemer, was apprehended after a citizen spotted him spraying a liquid substance on a salad bar and notified the Ann Arbor Police Department. Bessemer told police he committed the acts because he thought someone was trying to kill him. Bessemer has been charged with four counts of poisoning food. Samples of the substance have been sent for further laboratory analysis to determine concentration.
List of stores believed to have been impacted
The following stores are believed to have been attacked. Shoppers are encouraged to throw away any food purchased from salad bars and read-to-eat food areas between mid-March and the end of April.
Busch’s
2240 S Main Street
Ann Arbor, MI
Cupcake Station
116 E Liberty
Ann Arbor, MI
Family Fare
2026 North Saginaw
Midland, MI
Kroger
3838 Richfield Road
Flint, MI
Meijer, #108
7300 Eastman Ave
Midland, MI
Meijer, #64
3145 Ann Arbor-Saline
Ann Arbor, MI
Meijer, #213
9515 Birch Run Rd
Birch Run, MI
Millers Mini Mart
3001 Bay City Rd
Midland, MI
Plum Market
375 North Maple
Ann Arbor, MI
Target
2000 Waters Road
Ann Arbor, MI
Tsai Grocery
3115 Oak Valley Drive
Ann Arbor, MI
Walmart
910 Joe Mann Blvd
Midland, MI
Walmart
7000 E Michigan Ave
Saline, MI
Whole Foods
990 W Eisenhower Pkwy
Ann Arbor, MI
Whole Foods
3135 Washtenaw Ave
Ann Arbor, MI
