Suspect Identified In Fatal Machete Attack On Employee At Dollar Tree Store In Ohio, Police Say

A man is accused of fatally attacking an employee with a machete at a Dollar Tree store in Ohio, authorities said.

Shortly before 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 1, officers with the Upper Sandusky Police Department responded to the business after receiving a report of a man waving the weapon around.

At the scene, the officers found a worker, later identified as Keris L. Riebel, 22, dead from her wounds, but the suspect had left the store, police said.

A short time later, police said, an officer located a suspect, 27-year-old Bethel M. Bekele, and he was taken into custody.

Police said it’s unclear how or if Riebel and Bekele knew each other, WTVG reported.

According to the station, detectives investigating the deadly incident determined the suspect, Bekele, entered the Dollar Tree armed with the machete, approached Riebel and struck her multiple times.

Police have not determined a motive for the deadly incident.

Bekele currently faces a murder charge, and additional charges in the case may be pending, authorities said.