Police have described the basic timeline but have not released several key details in the case.
CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Investigators have identified the man accused of stabbing a Planet Fitness employee, but several central details remain undisclosed in the attempted murder case tied to a gym ban.
Police say Davier Massey, 28, of Philadelphia, returned to the Wyncote Planet Fitness on April 2 after being banned one day earlier over an unpaid bill. The employee was stabbed multiple times during an altercation and taken to a trauma center with life-threatening injuries. Massey was arrested nearby and jailed without bail, but officials have released only a limited account of what happened inside the gym.
The known timeline starts April 1, when Massey was barred from the Planet Fitness at 1000 South Easton Road, according to local reports citing police. The next day, he returned to the gym, left and came back again. Officers and emergency medical services responded at about 12:33 p.m. to a report of a stabbing. Cheltenham Township police said they found a male victim with multiple stab wounds. Their preliminary investigation determined that the victim worked for Planet Fitness and was stabbed during an altercation with someone who had previously been banned from the business.
What remains less clear is how the confrontation began and escalated. Police have not released the amount of the unpaid bill, whether Massey disputed the ban or who first spoke to him when he returned. They have not publicly identified the employee, described his job duties or said whether he had prior contact with Massey. Investigators also have not said whether the stabbing happened near the front desk, in a workout area or elsewhere inside the building. Those details matter because they could explain whether the encounter was brief, prolonged, witnessed by others or recorded from more than one angle.
There are also open questions about the physical evidence. Massey was charged with possession of an instrument of crime, but police have not publicly described the weapon or said whether it was recovered. They have not announced whether surveillance video from inside or outside the gym captured the return, the disturbance, the altercation or Massey’s movement after the stabbing. A business at that location may have electronic entry records, billing records and security systems, but investigators have not publicly listed the records they collected. Police also have not said how many witnesses were interviewed.
The parts of the case that are public are serious. Massey faces criminal attempt murder of the first degree, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault, terroristic threats, criminal mischief, harassment and disorderly conduct. Bail was denied after his arrest, and he was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. The charges are allegations, not findings of guilt. Public reporting reviewed for this article did not confirm a plea, and the case must move through court before any criminal responsibility is decided.
Planet Fitness addressed the attack in a statement that confirmed concern for the injured employee but did not add investigative detail. “We are saddened by the incident that took place at our Cheltenham location,” the company said. The company said its thoughts were with the team member as he recovered, thanked local law enforcement and said the franchise owner was fully supporting investigators. The statement did not name the employee, describe his medical condition or address whether the gym changed its operations after the attack.
The location of the stabbing adds to the public interest in the case. The South Easton Road gym sits in a suburban commercial area where customers could be coming and going around lunchtime. Police have not publicly said how many people were inside when the attack occurred or whether anyone tried to intervene. Local reports described the gym as closed after the incident, with the emergency response visible to people nearby. No other injuries were publicly reported, and no additional arrests were announced.
The next procedural marker listed in early reports was an April 16 preliminary hearing in Montgomery County. Such hearings can reveal more about a police investigation through testimony, exhibits or arguments over whether charges should proceed. Public news reports reviewed for this update did not confirm what happened at that hearing. If the case continues, later filings could clarify the evidence behind the attempted murder charge, the status of the injured employee and the role of any video, witness accounts or business records.
The public account remains incomplete but focused. Police have said a banned customer returned to the Wyncote gym and stabbed an employee. They have not released the victim’s name, the full medical update, the weapon description or the complete account of the moments before the attack.
Author note: Last updated April 27, 2026.