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MOUNT PLEASANT, WI — A Detroit woman stands accused of several felonies after she stabbed a Walmart employee and stole money from a woman in separate robberies.

Tia Sullivan, 30, of Detroit, was charged by the Racine County District Attorney’s Office with armed robbery, first-degree reckless injury, aggravated battery, obstructing a police officer, and disorderly conduct. If convicted of all charges, Sullivan faces up to 87 years in prison and fines up to $221,000.

According to the criminal complaint, Village of Mount Pleasant Police officers responded to a report of an assault by a customer at Walmart, 5625 Washington Avenue.

When police arrived, they found the employee injured and bleeding from the head. Having been cut twice on his neck and face, rescue personnel from the South Shore Fire Department transported the employee to Ascension-All Saints Hospital.

The employee described the person as a male wearing a black baseball cap, a black hoodie, and dark grey sweat pants. Dispatchers told police that the man was last seen heading west on Washington from Walmart.

During the investigation, another employee who witnessed the altercation said he recorded part of it, and they were able to get a better description of the suspect.

Sullivan paid for another customer’s groceries totaling $191.93 without being asked using her food stamp card. Sullivan did not know the other customer. She demanded that the customer give her the money back in cash. But the other woman refused because she didn’t ask Sullivan to pay for her groceries. She then demanded that the employee give her a refund, but they refused to do so.

The customer, employees, and Sullivan continued to argue as the employees walked Sullivan to her car. During the argument, she reached into her pocket, armed herself with a knife, and stabbed him several times.

“Another employee placed Sullivan in a bear hug for a period of time. Sullivan was eventually able to leave the scene,” according to the report.

About a half-hour later, a citizen flagged down officers at the Landmark Credit Union, telling them that they had just been robbed.

“The victim gave the same description of the suspect as the Walmart call and advised Officers that the suspect had approached them while they were at the atm,” according to the press release. “The suspect threatened to shoot the victim and then physically wrestled with and took $20 from the victim and then fled.”

The victim in that robbery told police that she and Sullivan “physically struggled with her and threatened to shoot her” over $20, the report reads.

As the officers searched the area, a deputy saw a person matching the suspect’s description heading towards the Kwik Trip gas station on Washington Avenue. The person stood in the middle of the intersection when the police apprehended the person.  

Sullivan told police her name was Asian Davis, but the name didn’t return any results. She also said she was never at Walmart, but they found a receipt in her pocket for $191.93 from Walmart and a food stamp card bearing her name.

In court Thursday, Racine County Court Commissioner Alice Rudebusch set a $25,000 cash bond. Sullivan is being held at the Racine County Jail. Her next court appearance is set for 9:15 a.m. Oct. 28.


Denise Lockwood has an extensive background in traditional and non-traditional media. She has written for Patch.com, the Milwaukee Business Journal, Milwaukee Magazine and the Kenosha News.