Portland, Oregon – A 39-year-old man from Portland was taken into custody in Deschutes County after authorities received a warning about a planned “violent attack” in the county, according to the sheriff’s office.
Detectives from the Portland Police Bureau had alerted Deschutes County officers on October 16 about the individual, later identified as Samson Zebturiah Garner, who was reportedly planning an attack at an event in Deschutes County.
The targets of Garner’s alleged attack were listed as “Belayer 1,” “Belayer 2,” “Spectator 1,” and “Spectator 2,” with the accusation of planning to shoot and kill all four individuals. Garner was reported to have arrived in Deschutes County on a Thursday, where he was later arrested without incident by county sheriff tactical units, following the discovery of his vehicle.
Following Garner’s arrest, a search warrant was executed on his vehicle, leading to the discovery of evidence related to the planned attack. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office stated their belief that Garner was acting alone and that there was no further threat to the community.
In the charging document, it was mentioned that Garner had multiple firearms, including a Beretta 9mm handgun, a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun, and an AR-15 rifle. He is now facing a total of 27 charges, including attempted first-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, and unlawful use of a weapon.
Garner was subsequently placed in the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Jail on Thursday and appeared for arraignment on Friday. Additional details on the case may be provided as they become available.