The West Babylon man who allegedly attacked three people with a machete earlier this month at a Dicks Sporting Goods in Patchogue now faces attempted murder charges, according to the Suffolk County district attorney.
Prosecutors say 22-year-old Treyvius Tunstall beat the store manager with the machete on his head, fracturing his skull and severing tendons in his arms and wrist.
The defendant then walked away from the manager – then returned and resumed the attack while the victim was still on the floor. The store manager who is suffering from his injuries had nothing to say in court Monday.
Prosecutors say after Tunstall attacked the manager he swung the machete at a customer inside the store, and then ran out of the store with the machete and attacked a third person in the parking lot.
Detectives say this all started when Tunstall walked into the Dicks Sporting Good store in Bay Shore earlier in the day and asked to buy a rifle. They told him they don't carry guns, but Dicks in Patchogue does so instead he purchased a machete, knife and a backpack.
When he asked to buy a gun at the Dicks in Patchogue, the employee there asked for ID, but Tunstall quickly took it back when he heard there would be a background check.
He walked away from the counter, then began his random and unprovoked attacks, police say.
Customers at Dicks were relieved to hear that the charges against him were upgraded to attempted murder.
“You attack someone with a machete, that's deserving,” says one customer.
The store manager's injuries were so severe that prosecutors say he may not be able to regain full use of his fingers.
Tunstall is being held on $1 million cash bail. If convicted of attempted murder Tunstall, could be sentenced up to 25 years in prison.