Oregon Man Accused of Plotting Mass Shooting at Climbing Festival

A rock climber in Oregon was arrested Thursday on attempted murder and other charges after planning what police characterized as a mass shooting at a climbing festival. The suspect, Samson Zebturiah Garner, 39, had three handguns and an AR-15 on his person when he was taken into custody, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said. Police were alerted to Garner’s alleged plot after two acquaintances came forward, saying Garner had told them he planned to shoot people climbing in Deschutes County, according to District Attorney Steve Gunnels. Authorities did not immediately confirm Garner’s alleged target, but an official at Smith Rock State Park told the Bend Bulletin on Friday that a “possible threat” had recently been made towards the Smith Rock Craggin Classic, a three-day event hosted over the weekend by the American Alpine Club. Gunnels said that journal entries recovered from among Garner’s belongings indicated that he had a “generalized anger,” and was not planning to target specific victims, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. The district attorney added that investigators had not yet uncovered a clear motive for the alleged plot.