Parents of a three-year-old were stabbed outside the Giant Eagle grocery chain

NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio – Nearly four months after 3-year-old Julian Wood and his mother were stabbed to death in a Giant Eagle parking lot, his parents want the grocery store held accountable.

The stabbing occurred June 3 in North Olmsted.

Authorities say the suspect, Bionca Ellis, allegedly stole two knives from a nearby thrift store and then went to Giant Eagle.

There, Ellis allegedly followed Margot Wood and her son to the parking lot and then stabbed the child and his mother.

Suspect in North Olmsted stabbed a thrift store with a stolen knife shortly before the attack, police said

RELATED: Suspect in North Olmsted stabbed a thrift store with a stolen knife shortly before the attack, police said

Charlie Rittgers, the Wood family’s attorney, says the store has a responsibility.

“They have a duty to protect customers from deranged attackers like this lady, and they knew there was a likelihood that a deranged attacker, a lone wolf, so to speak, could come into their business,” Rittgers said.

Ellis is charged with the attack but is not deemed mentally competent to stand trial.

Court records: Bionca Ellis not competent to stand trial; She is ordered to receive inpatient treatment

RELATED: Bionca Ellis is not fit to stand trial

The Wood family believes what happened to Julian and his mother Margot could have been prevented and filed a lawsuit. She claims the stabbing was a direct result of the Giant Eagles’ willful negligence and recklessness.

“There was a murder-suicide in this individual store just 12 months before Julian’s death,” Rittgers said.

The lawsuit highlights a pattern of violent incidents at Giant Eagle locations across Ohio, including a shooting in June 2023. It alleges that after a gunman killed an employee, Giant Eagle initially deployed armed security guards at its North Olmsted location However, security measures were removed just months before Wood’s stabbing occurred.

“They put profit on the individual people who shop in their store and trust Giant Eagle to keep their premises safe,” Rittgers said.

Surveillance video shows Ellis earlier walking around Giant Eagle with a knife. The lawsuit states: “If employees had properly monitored the surveillance cameras at the grocery store, employees could have seen Bionca Ellis openly brandishing a large knife in and around the grocery store.”

The lawsuit alleges that the grocery chain failed in a number of ways, including the following:

• To warn guests of a dangerous situation on the premises.
• To warn and protect guests from dangerous activities.
• Ensure necessary and appropriate security and surveillance of your business premises.
• The failure to prohibit dangerous individuals like Ms. Ellis from loitering.

“The law requires that you generally make reasonable efforts to create a safe space for those that you actually invite onto your property,” Eric Chaffee said.
Case Western Reserve Law Professor Eric Chaffee told News 5 that in a case like this, it is common for a lawsuit to be filed against a large corporation.

“The most complicated thing about this case is that it’s a terrible, terrible act that almost seems like you couldn’t have even predicted it,” Chaffee said.

He adds that some cases end up in court while others are resolved beforehand. The goal of these lawsuits can be two things: money and policy change.

“It incentivizes companies like Giant Eagle to actually ensure that their premises are safe, that they are well lit and that they have adequate security measures in place to ensure that these types of circumstances apply.” “That’s not coming yet once before,” said Chaffee.

The Wood family knows they can’t bring their son back, but they don’t want anyone to know the pain they are suffering.

“They’re really hoping to make change and make people safer in their community stores, especially those big box stores like Giant Eagle,” Rittgers said.

News 5 reached out to Giant Eagle about the case and they responded with the following:

“Our thoughts continue to be with the Wood family as we work with authorities as they investigate the tragic and random act of violence. However, we cannot comment on pending litigation.”