Police said a 10-year-old entered the Pennsylvania store with a fixed-blade knife and demanded money.
SWATARA TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A 10-year-old boy is facing juvenile charges after police said he tried to rob a Dollar Tree store at knifepoint and stabbed an employee during a struggle Monday evening in Dauphin County.
The case has drawn attention because of the suspect’s age and the violent nature of the allegations. Swatara Township police said officers were called to the Dollar Tree on Paxton Street at about 5:06 p.m. June 29 for a reported robbery involving a knife. By the time officers arrived, store employees had restrained the child, and one worker had been injured.
Police said the boy entered the store carrying a fixed-blade knife, threatened a female employee and demanded money. Other workers then moved in to help the employee, according to investigators. During the struggle, police said, one employee was stabbed multiple times and later required medical treatment. The department has not released the worker’s name, condition or the full extent of the injuries. Police said employees held the boy until officers reached the store and took him into custody.
The incident happened in Swatara Township, near Harrisburg, along the 3200 block of Paxton Street. Investigators have not said whether the child acted alone, how he got the knife or what led to the alleged robbery attempt. Because the accused child is a minor, authorities have not released his name. Police also have not identified the employees involved or said how many workers were inside the store when the confrontation began.
The boy was charged in juvenile court with robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of an instrument of crime, police said. He was placed in a secure juvenile detention facility while the case moves through court. Juvenile cases are handled differently from adult criminal cases, and many records are not made public because of the age of the accused. Police said the investigation remains active and did not announce any additional arrests.
The stabbing turned a routine evening at the discount store into a police response involving an injured worker and a child suspect. Officers arrived to find the situation under control because employees had already subdued the boy, police said. Investigators said the injured employee received medical care after the confrontation, but no update on recovery had been released as of Friday.
Police have not released a motive or a date for the boy’s next court appearance. The case remained pending Friday, with the 10-year-old held in juvenile detention and investigators continuing to review the robbery attempt and stabbing.
Author note: Last updated July 3, 2026.