12 people injured in homeless shelter stabbing

SALEM, Ore. (KPTV/Gray News) - Twelve people were injured in a stabbing at a men’s homeless shelter in Oregon in what police describe as a sudden, unprovoked attack.

Authorities said they responded Sunday evening to the report of multiple stabbing victims at Union Gospel Mission in Salem, Oregon.

Police said 11 victims were taken to the hospital with “varying types of injuries.” A 12th victim was later found at the hospital, having arrived on his own.

As of 11 a.m. Monday, police said five men remain hospitalized. Their last listed condition was “critical.”

The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Tony Latrell Williams, was arrested outside near the shelter. Police say a knife about 8 inches long was recovered by investigators.

The CEO of Union Gospel Mission says the initial attack started in the lobby. One employee in the lobby was taking the suspect’s bag for safekeeping overnight, which is standard protocol, and that’s reportedly when the suspect began attacking people.

Williams is accused of stabbing both employees at the front desk. One is in critical condition, and the other suffered several stab wounds but is expected to be OK.

After Williams targeted employees, witnesses say he stabbed several more people at the mission then went outside and targeted several others at random.

Witnesses say it was a gruesome and terrifying scene as each person tried to protect themselves. Victims say Williams moved quickly, cutting and stabbing people without warning or hesitation.

“As he was going by people, I saw people were hitting the ground, and I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ That’s when I realized he had a knife,” Alan Humphreys said. “He stabbed them bad. He cut people really bad. He cut one guy from his belly button all the way up to the sternum on his chest.”

Police say Williams was on a bus from Portland to Deschutes County, but he got off in Salem before the stabbing.

Williams was arraigned Monday on charges of second-degree attempted murder and 11 counts of second-degree assault He was denied bail and had several outbursts in court.

The investigation is ongoing.

Court records show that Williams has a lengthy criminal history in Coos and Deschutes counties, dating back to 2002, including a charge for attempted murder in Coos County in 2004.