Police said a woman was charged after an employee was cut at Lakeview Market.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — A longtime deli customer stopped a knife attack Tuesday morning at Lakeview Market after police said a woman entered the store, threatened workers and cut an employee behind the counter.
Tony Cate, a Jefferson County native and owner of TNT Towing, was eating breakfast at the market when the attack began. Police said Elizabeth Ann Scott, 61, was arrested after Cate disarmed her and held her until officers arrived. Scott faces attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault charges.
The incident happened about 6:18 a.m. at Lakeview Market, 296 W. Old Andrew Johnson Highway. Police said Scott entered the store with a large knife, waved it near the front cashier and then moved toward the deli area. Cate said he saw the knife and knew the situation could turn worse fast. “I didn’t think, I just saw the knife, and I just went to grab her,” Cate said.
According to police, Scott tried to stab a deli employee in the abdomen. The knife made contact and broke the skin, but the injury was described as minor. Police said Scott held the worker’s shirt with one hand while gripping the knife with the other. Cate removed the knife from Scott’s hand and held her face down on the serving counter until officers arrived.
The employee, identified in local coverage as Christie Sims, later called Cate a hero. Cate said he was glad the worker and others inside the store survived. Police have not said what led to the attack. They said Scott made statements during the encounter that referenced demons, but no motive has been released.
Scott was taken into custody at the store. Court records and police updates are expected to show the next steps in the case, including hearings on the attempted murder and assault charges.
Lakeview Market was back at the center of a quiet but shaken community after the attack. Cate, who said he knows the deli worker well, said the outcome mattered more than any praise. “I’m just glad that everybody’s okay,” he said.
Author note: Last updated April 26, 2026.