Salem, Ore. — A violent stabbing at Salem’s Union Gospel Mission shelter on Sunday night left 12 people injured, marking one of the bloodiest incidents in recent local history.
Kyle Casey, who was waiting outside the shelter to check in for the night, witnessed the chaotic scene unfold. A man rushed out of the shelter’s front entrance, bleeding heavily, followed closely by a suspect wielding a knife.
The assailant, identified as 42-year-old Tony L. Williams of Bend, Oregon, was arrested and formally charged with multiple counts related to the attack. Williams, known to have a history of threatening strangers with a knife, appeared in a Salem courtroom Monday morning, responding to the judge with erratic rants and delusions.
According to police, Williams had been traveling by bus from Portland to the Bend area but disembarked in Salem on Saturday. He had been inside the shelter the night before the attack and was familiar with its routines.
The stabbing occurred just as the shelter’s evening chapel service was concluding and staff prepared to close the facility for the night at 8 p.m. The Union Gospel Mission, located at 777 Commercial St. N.E., serves as a refuge for approximately 100 men nightly, many of whom are working to recover from addiction or reintegrate after incarceration. The men sleep in bunk beds housed in upstairs dormitories, with roughly 20 men per room.
Shelter staff worked through the day Monday to recover from the trauma and prepare for the evening meal despite the incident. Five victims remained hospitalized as of midday Monday.
The attack has shaken the shelter community, which is intended as a safe haven grounded in faith and healing. Outside the facility, a stone engraved with Jesus’ words welcomes visitors: “Come unto me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Authorities continue to investigate the incident as the shelter and local officials assess security and support for those affected.
