Julian Wood, aged three, joyfully occupied himself in his mother’s shopping cart during their routine Monday afternoon grocery shopping excursion. Their visit to the bustling Giant Eagle in North Olmstead, Cleveland took a sinister turn when a woman, clutching a kitchen knife in her right hand, approached them amidst the crowd. Despite Margot, Julian’s 38-year-old mother, pushing past, the woman abruptly halted, pivoted, and trailed after them.
In under six minutes, Julian lay bleeding on the parking lot pavement while his mother, Margot, wounded and desperate, urged paramedics not to prioritize her. As emergency responders fought to revive the young boy through CPR, Bionca Ellis, 32, his alleged assailant, was apprehended just a short distance away, still clutching the bloodstained knife. Newly disclosed surveillance footage and police bodycam footage revealed the harrowing moments from 2:58 to 3:04 pm on June 2, along with the chilling events that transpired before and after.

Julian Wood, 3, died from stab wounds he suffered in a random attack in the parking lot of a Giant Eagle supermarket in North Olmstead, Cleveland, on Monday

Julian passed away, leaving his mother, Margot Wood, 38, injured. They are seen on the right, accompanied by the boy’s grandmother, father Jared Wood, and older brother.

Bionca Ellis, 32, (depicted in the photo), faced aggravated murder charges for the startling and unprovoked assault.
Earlier that day, according to police, Ellis allegedly stole two knives from a nearby Volunteers of America Thrift Store, an act captured on camera as she paced outside the Giant Eagle. At 2:58 pm, she entered the store, wielding one of the knives casually, akin to a half-eaten chocolate bar, and proceeded forward, causing Margot to maneuver around her. Shortly after they passed, Ellis abruptly halted, reversed course, and began trailing them, her ominous pursuit captured from four camera angles.
Twenty-five seconds later, Ellis reappeared alone from a blind spot, lingering near the entrance for their arrival. As they approached the exit, Ellis waited for them to pass before continuing her pursuit, captured by two more cameras outside.
Margot steered Julian towards their red hatchback in the bustling parking lot, preparing to load groceries into the trunk. Without warning, Ellis allegedly launched her brutal attack on a mother and son she had never met, for reasons unknown to the police.

As they headed towards the exit, Ellis lingered, allowing them to pass before she followed, caught on two additional cameras as they exited the building.

The camera captures Ellis from the front as she follows Margot and Julian outside, wielding the knife.

A witness recounted how the assailant approached them and simply “stabbed,” demonstrating a downward overhand stabbing motion with their own hand.

Julian was stabbed while seated in his mother’s shopping cart, which was later found overturned after the assault.
By 3:09 pm, Julian was being loaded into the back of an ambulance while paramedics urgently called out to their colleagues, stating, “there’s no pulse.” At that moment, Julian’s father, Jake Wood, arrived at the scene in a frantic search for his son, asking anyone nearby about his well-being. He had hastily abandoned his pickup truck with the keys still in the ignition and raced across the parking lot. Police quickly seized his keys and arranged for him to be transported to the hospital in the ambulance’s wake.
Heart-wrenching images from the scene depicted groceries strewn across the asphalt of the parking lot where the mother and son had been attacked. Margot was also transported to the hospital, her injuries deemed non-life-threatening, but tragically, Julian succumbed to the severity of his injuries.

Only moments later, at 3:04 pm, police converged on Ellis in a nearby side street, firearms drawn, and instructed her to lie down on the pavement.

While they restrained her with handcuffs, one officer pointed out a knife lying on the grass just inches away.

Ellis remains incarcerated (as depicted) with a bond set at $1 million until at least next Monday. The motive behind Ellis’s alleged ferocious attack, seemingly without reason, perplexes and deeply troubles the North Olmsted Police.
Detective Sergeant Matthew Beck expressed bewilderment, horror, and frustration, stating, “There’s no indication as to why she committed this. She wouldn’t speak about anything; she lawyered up.” During her entire arraignment in Rocky River Municipal Court on Tuesday, Ellis kept her head slumped on the table. Her public defender mentioned that Ellis declined to waive the pretrial hearing, scheduled for Monday, and remained detained on the aforementioned bond.
Authorities indicated that Ellis might face additional charges once the case is presented to a Cuyahoga County Grand Jury. Despite Ellis having no prior violent history, Beck noted that this incident was not her first interaction with law enforcement that week.

The Giant Eagle parking lot becomes a tumult of shouts and urgency as police encircle the distressed pair until an ambulance arrives at 3:06 pm.

Police cleared a path for paramedics who swiftly lifted Julian onto a stretcher, initiating CPR as his life ebbed away from wounds sustained on his back and cheek.

At 3:09 pm, Julian was swiftly loaded into the back of an ambulance as paramedics urgently informed their colleagues, “there’s no pulse.”
Just four days earlier, on May 29, police bodycam footage captured a patrol car pulling up beside Ellis after a concerned passerby flagged her down, suspecting she might need assistance. She was maneuvering towards the bus stop in a wheelchair and informed the policewoman, “I kinda get lightheaded from my medicine,” noting her dead phone battery. Upon running her information, the officers discovered an outstanding arrest warrant and promptly escorted her into the vehicle.
Amidst her arrest, Ellis exclaimed excitedly, “I’m getting a free ride!”
Detective Sergeant Beck elucidated that Ellis had previously faced charges for shoplifting from a Walmart in May of the previous year, ultimately pleading guilty to the lesser offense of unauthorized use of property. Although she was sentenced to six months’ probation, she failed to fulfill the mandated theft education program, resulting in the issuance of an arrest warrant.
Beck further elaborated, “She was found to have that warrant, so she was taken into custody and then she, upon her release last week, came back [Monday] morning inquiring about some property of hers.”
In that instant, Julian’s father, Jake Wood (positioned at the far left), arrived at the scene in a state of panic, urgently inquiring about his son’s whereabouts. “My son! Is he okay?” he anxiously pleaded.

Heart-wrenching images from the scene depicted groceries strewn across the asphalt of the parking lot where the mother and son were attacked.
Shortly after her visit to the police station, Ellis allegedly obtained new property—the kitchen knife now held as evidence. Besides a handful of traffic violations, her criminal record included only a month-long jail sentence for trespassing in Florida.
According to court documents, she had reserved a hotel room in Kissimmee in March but refused to leave when she couldn’t pay. Detective Sergeant Beck noted that there was no documented history of mental illness, but given the nature of her brutal and inexplicable alleged crime, he expressed uncertainty about that assessment. He described the attack as “entirely a random act of violence.”
Ellis’s social media profiles provide little insight into her motives, mainly featuring memes, with her bio simply stating, “I’m the Queen, simple worship Me.”

Just four days earlier, on May 29, police bodycam footage captured a patrol car pulling up beside her. She was arrested for a probation violation but was subsequently released.
Julian’s family is currently fundraising to support Jared as he endeavors to cover his son’s funeral expenses, legal bills, and his wife’s recovery.
“Our family is overwhelmed with sadness,” they expressed in a collective statement. “We have no explanation as to how or why this happened; it was a random act of violence. There was no prior altercation, they did not know each other… this was a malicious random act. She has devastated our family beyond words; she took something from us we can never get back.”

Julian and Wood were swiftly transported to St. John Medical Center, but despite efforts, Julian succumbed to the flurry of stab wounds to his back and cheek. Fortunately, his mother’s injuries were not life-threatening.
The family expressed profound gratitude for the outpouring of support they received from both friends and strangers, acknowledging the beginning of what they described as a “long journey to recovery.”
“We will continue to cherish memories of our beautiful baby boy—his infectious laughter, his radiant smile, his spirited demeanor, his fascination with dinosaurs, his enthusiasm for school,” they wrote.
They also reminisced about Julian’s adoration for his new baby sister and his playful wrestling matches with his older brother. The family fondly recalled the heartwarming photos shared when Julian was born in November 2020, depicting him being cradled in his older brother’s arms.
While grappling with their loss, the family expressed their hope for some form of justice

Julian came into the world in November 2020, a time when his parents shared precious photos of him as a newborn, lovingly cradled in his older brother’s embrace.

Julian enjoys playful moments with his older brother at their home, where friends often remark on how quickly he is growing.
Giant Eagle announced that it was offering counseling support to its employees. “We were deeply saddened to hear about the tragic loss of the young victim in yesterday’s senseless act of violence,” the statement read. “Our hearts go out to the child, his mother, and their loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”
This same Giant Eagle store was the site of a tragic murder-suicide on June 25 last year. Bernard Smith fatally shot his ex-wife, Susan Petterson, 63, while she was working at the store before taking his own life. This incident occurred two decades after their divorce in 2004.