TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – A March 13 stabbing and police shooting that has rattled the Traverse City community is now drawing attention for an unexpected reason: the suspected attacker appears to be receiving more emotional and financial support online than the woman he allegedly stabbed.

Police say a 50-year-old Traverse City man, identified as Darnell Wilson, allegedly stabbed a 58-year-old woman during a domestic assault at an apartment on Munson Place. According to dispatch audio, the woman reported being stabbed in the side and back. The audio also indicates that Wilson made statements about aliens coming to get him, and the victim told authorities he had been smoking marijuana.

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When police officers arrived on scene, Wilson reportedly turned on them while armed with a knife. After refusing commands to drop the weapon, he charged at police; officers first used a taser, which didn’t stop him, and then shot and killed him. The woman who was stabbed survived and is expected to recover, while the shooting remains under investigation by Michigan State Police.

A tale of two fundraisers.

Now, both social media comments about Wilson and two GoFundMe campaigns tell an interesting story. One fundraiser supports the recovery of the female victim whose name hasn’t been disclosed. The other – raising money for the funeral of the man police say carried out the stabbing – has pulled in significantly more attention, donations, and public sympathy across Traverse City.

Sympathy split.

The suspect, described by many in the city as a friendly and well-liked Costco employee, has been remembered online with glowing tributes. Friends and community members have shared stories all over social media of his kindness. The radio station Z93 even crowned him as “Northern Michigan Person of the Year” in 2025 on their Facebook page.

There is also a “Justice for Darnell Wilson” Facebook page that has been created and has approximately 232 members. On that page and other community pages, some commenters have directed criticism toward both the victim and the Traverse City Police, while others have pointed to Wilson’s possible mental health struggles.

Meanwhile, the victim who survived the violent attack has received far less public backing and fewer donations.

Traverse City prides itself on being a tight-knit community and supportive of those who need help. But this moment is forcing a harder look at how that support is distributed – and many are asking whether the community’s sympathy is landing in the right place.