GRAHAM, Wash. - A Pierce County man has been charged in a stabbing outside a Walgreens in Graham over the weekend that left an employee seriously injured.
James Keller, 36, has been charged with second-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault.
According to probable cause documents obtained by FOX 13 News, Pierce County deputies were called to a Walgreens store at Meridian Ave and 224th St E around 1:43 p.m. to reports of a stabbing.
When they arrived, the suspect was already gone, but witnesses described a man in his 30s, thin, bald, and wearing a gray vest, dark shirt and khaki pants. Deputies tracked down the suspect, who they identified as Keller, arguing with an employee at a convenience store across the street.
Court docs say Keller was "incredibly irate" when deputies contacted him, yelling that he was in the U.S. Marine Corps and also a Navy SEAL. Deputies were able to detain him, where they noticed he wrote "something to the effect of ‘USMC’ on his arm with a marker."
Deputies searched him and found several knives, one of them recently bloodied and with writing on the blade that read "US Navy," court documents say.
A witness positively identified Keller as the suspect, so deputies arrested him.
Around the same time, deputies found the Walgreens employee who had been stabbed, and transported him to St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Tacoma for treatment of life-threatening injuries.
Authorities attempted to interview Keller, but he appeared unable to stay on track, court docs say, saying they need to call his command, then contact his probation officer. Deputies ended the interview.
Later, deputies followed up with the victim to get his statement.
The employee explained that Keller was in line at the store, and when he got to the counter, he asked to call a cab. The employee gave him the phone, but Keller became upset when dispatch told him there were no cabs available in Graham, court docs say.
According to court documents, Keller then demanded the employee "call Fort Lewis," claiming he was a Marine. He then attempted to get behind the counter and grabbed the employee by the collar of his hoodie, constricting his throat and pulling out a knife, court docs say. Keller tried to slice his throat, the employee said, but the blade was facing the wrong way so he only scratched up his neck.
Court docs say Keller then stabbed the employee, threw him to the ground and stomped on his head.
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The employee was able to get away and lock himself in a room to call 911.
Prosecutors note that Keller is also a suspect in a Lakewood armed robbery from a day prior, where he is accused of stealing a victim’s car at knifepoint.
