Eleven people were stabbed in a church-run homeless shelter in Oregon that is directly across from the local police HQ, according to authorities.
At least one member of staff at the Union Gospel Mission in Salem is among the wounded following the shocking scenes at around 7:15 p.m. Sunday, police said.
The 11 wounded were rushed to a Salem hospital with “varying types of injuries,” police said.
The suspect, who is in custody, had arrived at the mission the previous night and was about to check into the 150-person ministry again for a second night when he started brawling just as he was supposed to hand his belongings over to staff, officials said.
“Something … set him off, and he evidently had a knife in his bag,” Union Gospel Mission’s Executive Director Craig Smith told NBC News.
“The whole incident is on video,” he said, adding that all footage of the attack was being shared with police.
The attack took place at the recently opened Men’s Mission, which was launched in 2021 a few blocks north of the older 1960s facilities in downtown Salem, according to the organization’s website.
It is directly across the street from the Salem Police Department.
Video posted on social media purportedly shows the suspect lying on the road being apprehended by police.
No details have been given about the suspect nor what charges he could face. Video posted on social media purportedly shows the suspect lying on the road being apprehended by police.
“This is a very fresh incident, and detectives are gathering the facts,” Angela Hedrick, a spokesperson for Salem Police, said in a statement.
Union Gospel Mission was founded in 1952 by a group of local Christian businessmen to help the homeless.
