A man started an argument with a construction worker at a northeast Salem gas station Thursday afternoon before chasing him into a convenience store and shooting him in the head, police said.
The victim, a 48-year-old Salem man, was transported to Salem Hospital in critical condition.
Police arrested two men in connection with the shooting: Rafael Lucas Jr., 34, and Benjamin Constantino-De la Luz, 61, both of Salem.
Police responded to a report of shots fired at the Arco at 3820 Portland Rd. N.E. around 1:40 p.m. Thursday, according to a Salem police statement Thursday night.
Witnesses told police that earlier in the day, a man approached a construction crew working in the parking lot and attempted to start a fight. That man left and returned several hours later with an older man.
The younger man got into a verbal argument with one of the crew workers, then pulled out a pistol and chased the worker into the store. The man then shot the worker in the head.
The older man struck another construction worker, a 70-year-old Stayton man, with a shovel twice. The assault happened after the worker tried to help the shooting victim.
Both suspects fled the store.
Police arrested Lucas and Constantino-De la Luz blocks from the scene.
There is no indication the victims knew the suspects, police spokeswoman Angela Hedrick said.
The man struck with a shovel received minor injuries and was not taken to the hospital.
Both suspects are lodged in the Marion County Jail on suspicion of attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon. They are scheduled to appear in court Friday.
Original story below:
Salem police are investigating a Thursday afternoon shooting in northeast Salem that left one man hospitalized.
Police were called around 1:40 p.m. to the 3800 block of Northeast Portland Road, the Salem Police Department said in a post on X. A suspect is in custody, the post said.
Officers found a man with a gunshot wound who was conscious, police spokeswoman Angela Hedrick said.
Officers are still on scene gathering information, Hedrick said at 3:20 p.m. She did not have any additional information about the victim’s medical condition or the identity of the suspect.
This story is developing and will be updated.
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
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Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers city news, education, nonprofits and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade. Outside of work, she’s a skater and board member with Salem’s Cherry City Roller Derby and can often be found with her nose buried in a book.
