WACO, TX — A 21-year-old Texas man faces an aggravated assault charge after police say he stabbed his mother in the neck inside a Target store in Waco and then fled the scene. Officers say the attack happened during the afternoon at the store on Bosque Boulevard, where shoppers and employees witnessed a sudden burst of violence in a busy retail setting.
Police identified the suspect as Galveston Elijah Vriseno, who is being held on a $100,000 bond. The victim, his 43-year-old mother, was taken to a hospital after officers arrived and found her with a serious neck wound. Her daughter later said she was stable after surgery, according to local reporting.
Police say surveillance captured the attack near the optical section
According to the arrest affidavit, store surveillance showed Vriseno walking with his mother near the optical section before the stabbing. Investigators say the footage then showed him striking her and running away from the scene. The affidavit provided the backbone of the case as officers worked to piece together what happened inside the store.
Responding officers were called to Target around 2:22 p.m. and found the woman wounded on the left side of her neck. Police say she was rushed for medical treatment and later underwent surgery. The charge filed against Vriseno is aggravated assault of a family member causing serious bodily injury, a serious felony allegation under Texas law.
Officers say they found him at a nearby fast-food restaurant
About 4 p.m., police learned that Vriseno himself had called authorities. Officers then found him at a Jack in the Box across the street from the Target, where they say he appeared to be trying to wash blood from his hands. Police also said he was wearing the clothing witnesses had described, including a blanket.
Investigators reported that he was also attempting to throw the blanket and other items into the trash. After officers placed him under arrest, they say he was read his Miranda rights. At that point, according to the affidavit, he admitted that the knife in his front left cargo pocket was the weapon used in the stabbing.
Family members say he made alarming statements before the stabbing
Investigators were also told about disturbing comments Vriseno allegedly made before the attack. His sister reportedly told police that two days earlier he had said the Illuminati had instructed him to kill both his mother and sister. That claim was passed along to investigators as part of the developing case.
The word “Illuminati” has long been tied to conspiracy theories, but the original Bavarian secret society dissolved more than two centuries ago. Britannica notes that the group was founded in 1776 and was no longer active after 1785. In this case, police have described the allegation as part of what witnesses and family members said Vriseno had been talking about before the stabbing.
The mother was hospitalized after surgery and later described as stable
The woman’s injuries were serious enough to require surgery at a local hospital. Her daughter later said she was in stable condition, offering the first indication that she was recovering after the attack. Police have not publicly released additional details about her long-term prognosis.
The midday assault shocked people at a store where customers would normally be shopping for routine errands. Instead, emergency crews were called to a violent family assault that unfolded in public view. Waco police have said the investigation remains ongoing as they continue reviewing the evidence and witness accounts.
Texas assault laws could bring a much harsher sentence if convicted
Under Texas law, aggravated assault is generally treated as a second-degree felony, which can carry up to 20 years in prison. But the offense can become a first-degree felony when a deadly weapon is used and serious bodily injury is caused to a family member, which appears to be the issue in this case.
If prosecutors pursue that higher-level charge and secure a conviction, the penalty range could climb to five to 99 years or even life in prison under Texas sentencing law. Vriseno has also previously been arrested in connection with an alleged assault on his pregnant girlfriend, according to local reporting.
