Salem construction worker pursued, shot in the head Thursday

A 48-year-old construction worker was taken to Salem Health hospital Thursday afternoon with critical injuries after being shot in the head inside the ampm convenience store at the Arco gas station on Portland Road NE, Salem Police said.

Officers responded to reports of shots fired at 1:38 p.m. at the gas station at 3820 Portland Road NE.

Witnesses said a 34-year-old man earlier in the day attempted to start a fight with several construction crew members working in the parking lot, police said in a news release. He returned several hours later with a 61-year-old man.

During a verbal dispute with one of the workers, the younger man "pulled out a pistol and chased the victim who ran inside the store," with the two men pursuing him, the release said.

Police said the younger man shot the construction worker in the head and the older man used a shovel to twice strike a 70-year-old construction worker attempting to aid the shot man, police said.

Jaden Rhines, a Freeman Motor Salem Showroom technician, told the Statesman Journal he was working in the shop when he heard something across the street.“I just turned around and looked over and saw a guy running around chasing ‘em with a gun,” Rhines said, describing a construction crew outside the mini market scattering.

Rhines said he didn’t hear gunfire because he went to tell his coworkers there was a shooter. When he looked back outside, the man he had seen in the parking lot with a gun was riding away on a bicycle, he said.

Police said both suspects fled but officers located them blocks from the gas station and took them into custody.

They were booked into the Marion County Jail on charges including attempted murder, assault and unlawful use of a weapon.

Isabel Funk covers breaking news and public safety for the Statesman Journal. Funk can be reached at ifunk@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @isabeldfunk

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem construction worker pursued, shot in the head Thursday