Detroit woman charged in Mount Pleasant attack, robbery

Tia Sullivan

A 30-year-old Detroit woman has been charged in connection to a robbery and an attack on a Walmart employee in Mount Pleasant that happened Oct. 21.

Tia Sullivan faces five charges including armed robbery and aggravated battery.

According to the Mount Pleasant Police Department, officers were dispatched to a Walmart near Washington Avenue and Green Bay Road for a report that a customer had attacked an employee.

A criminal complaint states that Sullivan used a food stamp card to pay for another person's groceries while in line to check out. She then demanded that the customer reimburse her with money, but the customer refused. When Sullivan demanded that employees refund the purchase, they refuse she had voluntarily paid for the groceries. Sullivan continued to argue with employees, and the customer was escorted to their car.

The complaint states that, as the argument ensued, Sullivan pulled a knife from her pocket and lunged at an employee, making several stabbing and slashing movements. The victim of the attack was taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Another employee held Sullivan back, and she eventually left the scene.

Shortly thereafter, police said, a robbery was reported at a nearby ATM. The robbery victim said the suspect threatened to shoot them and that there was a physical struggle. That suspect was later identified as Sullivan, who did rob the victim of $20.

Once arrested, Sullivan claimed she was never at Walmart, according to the complaint. However, officers found in her pocket a receipt believed to be for the purchase in question that sparked the incident. She also maintained that her name was "Asian Davis," and officers found a food stamp card on her person with the name Tia Sullivan.

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In total, Sullivan faces the following five charges:

  • Armed robbery, use of a dangerous weapon
  • Aggravated battery, use of a dangerous weapon
  • First-degree reckless injury, use of a dangerous weapon
  • Obstructing an officer
  • Disorderly conduct, use of a dangerous weapon

Court documents show Sullivan was convicted in 2017 of misdemeanor aggravated assault in Michigan.