Man Accused of Holding Hostage at Wisconsin Meijer Asked for a Hypnotist
A bizarre hostage situation at a Waukesha, Wisconsin, Meijer has led to felony charges against a 21-year-old man after police say he threatened a hostage with a knife, demanded a hypnotist, and caused chaos inside the store.
Only in Wisconsin?
If you’re like me and spend a decent amount of time driving back and forth between Northern Illinois and Wisconsin, you know there are plenty of reasons to make a Wisconsin trip.
Cheese curds. Beer. Lakes. Boating.
A hostage situation at Meijer? Probably not on the itinerary, but it's something that definitely happened in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Bizarre Hostage Situation in Waukesha Meijer Store
On July 30, 2026, a 21-year-old man named Anthony Lehman called 911 claiming he had a 59-year-old man hostage inside the men's restroom. He allegedly threatened the man with a knife and told dispatchers he had a “dead man switch," which was actually a spring clamp with two razor blades attached to it. Yikes!
If you think that's weird, just wait. It gets weirder.
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According to Fox 6 in Milwaukee:
While still on the call, court filings said Lehman continued to threaten the victim and said the situation would "go south real f****** fast" if police came into the men's restroom, where he was holding the hostage. He also demanded that a hypnotist come to the scene but provided no further information when asked why.
A hypnotist?
I have so many questions.
According to the criminal complaint, the situation eventually spilled out of the restroom and into the produce section. Lehman allegedly put a knife against an employee's wrist before running through the store. The hostage followed him, carrying a belt, while customers screamed and two other shoppers reportedly had to push Lehman away when he tried to grab them.
Police Shooting Ends the Meijer Standoff
It was an ugly situation, and police eventually shot Lehman after he refused commands to drop the knife. Lehman was hospitalized, as was the hostage, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Thankfully, no officers were hurt... and no explanation was given for why Lehman requested a hypnotist.
Lehman has been charged with six felonies, including reckless injury, false imprisonment, terrorist threats and three counts of recklessly endangering safety.
And that, my friends, is why you never know what you're going to encounter when you cross the Wisconsin border.
