Woman charged in Maplewood police stabbing after alleged shoplifting
MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Maplewood woman has been charged in connection to the stabbing of a police officer on Tuesday.
Maplewood police stabbing
What we know:
Jowharah Bilal, 49, of Maplewood, faces one count of attempted murder and one count of assault for an attack that occurred on July 21, 2026.
Dig deeper:
According to charges filed in Ramsey County, police were dispatched around 11:45 a.m. to a CVS store at the intersection of White Bear Avenue and County Road B East in response to employees reporting a customer "threatening staff and stealing merchandise."
Upon arrival, Maplewood Police Department Sergeant Anthony Gabriel spoke with Bilal, who reportedly matched the suspect's description.
In the middle of a conversation, charges state that she "suddenly pulled out a knife and repeatedly stabbed him."
Dig deeper:
According to charges, a nearby witness intervened and was able to successfully disarm her, as she continued to attack both him and Sgt. Gabriel. The man who intervened was later identified as Bilal’s son.
The man later told police that Bilal has "experienced mental health issues for many years, but refuses to seek treatment."
During an interview with police, Bilal admitted to taking merchandise, but said she had returned it and apologized prior to the incident.
According to charges, Bilal said that after being told she was under arrest, she admitted to having grabbed a knife, but claimed she did not use it, and didn’t remember what happened.
She also added that the officer "must have been a robot, as she did not see blood" resulting from the incident.
What's next:
Bilal will make a first appearance in Ramsey County District Court on July 23, 2026.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Ramset County Attorney’s Office.