Wal-Mart stabbing suspect arrested

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - Portsmouth Police have formally charged a man accused of stabbing another inside a Wal-Mart Monday evening.

Calvin Gray, 29, has been charged with aggravated malicious wounding and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

The stabbing occurred around 8:45 p.m. at the Wal-Mart in the 1000 block of Frederick Boulevard, Jan Clark with Portsmouth Police said. The victim was transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and is now in stable condition.

A man named Chris told WAVY.com he and other shoppers helped restrain the suspect until police could arrive. The suspect, identified as Gray, was hit with a barstool in the head, Chris added.

"The motive appears, at this time, to be some type of retaliation from a past encounter between the suspect and a family member of the victim," Clark said Tuesday. The nature of the past encounter has not been released.