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Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Employee killed after attempting to disarm gunman in Oregon supermarket - PBS NewsHour

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An employee who was killed in a shooting at a Safeway supermarket in Bend, Oregon, attacked the gunman in the produce section and tried to disarm him, likely preventing more deaths, authorities said Monday.

The 66-year-old employee, identified as Donald Ray Surrett Jr., was hailed as a hero by police at a news conference.

Surrett and a customer, 84-year-old Glenn Edward Bennett, were killed in the shooting Sunday evening. Two others were injured.

Police said Monday the shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was found dead “in close proximity” to an AR-15-style weapon and a shotgun.

Police identified the gunman as Ethan Blair Miller, 20, of Bend.

Terrified shoppers and employees fled for safety when the suspect entered the supermarket and began “spraying shots” from the assault rifle.

The Forum Shopping Center remained closed Monday as law enforcement officials continued their investigation.

The shooter fired shots in the shopping center’s parking lot at about 7:04 p.m. Sunday, and multiple people called 911, police said.

READ MORE: Survivors of Aurora, Colorado, mass shooting still haunted 10 years later

“It’s a huge crime scene as you can imagine because of the parking lot,” Bend police spokeswoman Sheila Miller said Monday. “We’re still collecting information.”

Miller said reports that there was a second shooter were not true. She said reports of other shootings around Bend at the same time were also not true.

Molly Taroli, 40, was...



Read Full Story: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/employee-killed-after-attempting-to-disar...