A late-night burger run turned into a nightmare for an Oregon family when a 28-year-old father was shot in the head — right in front of his two young sons — while pulling out of an In-N-Out Burger drive-thru in February. Now, nearly three months later, police have arrested two suspects and are hunting a third.
Marcio Garcia, 28, of Salem, was driving his family home after a stop at the Keizer, Oregon location when gunfire erupted near the intersection of Keizer Station Blvd and Ulali Dr NE at around 10:15 p.m. on February 9. A bullet shattered his window and struck the back of his head.
What happened next stunned even his doctors.
With a bullet lodged in his skull, Garcia somehow kept his composure, gripped the wheel, and drove his wife and their two boys — ages 2 and 7 — away from the gunfire to safety before collapsing.
“He protected our family before thinking of himself,” his wife wrote on a GoFundMe page. “That is the kind of man and father he is.”
Doctors later told the family there was “no major brain damage.” A photo posted by the family shows the bullet that was surgically removed from Garcia’s head. He is now recovering at home.
Suspects Arrested, Third Still At Large
Keizer Police and Salem SWAT arrested Ethan Adrian Armenta-Lagunas, 20, on Wednesday after executing a search warrant at his apartment, where multiple firearms were found — including one believed to be used in the shooting. Gabriel “Alex” Javier, 18, was taken into custody later the same day.
Both men, of Salem, face charges of first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, criminal mischief, and recklessly endangering another person.
A third suspect, Anthony Taylor-Manriquez, 22, also of Salem, remains on the run. Police say he should be considered armed and dangerous and are asking the public to help locate him.
A bystander walking near the scene was also shot in the leg and was treated at a local hospital.
A Family’s Message
Garcia’s wife has kept supporters updated through the GoFundMe, calling her husband’s survival “nothing short of a miracle.”
“Our family experienced something no one is ever prepared for,” she wrote. “Now he faces a long road of rest, healing, and recovery.”
Anyone with information on Taylor-Manriquez’s whereabouts is urged to contact Keizer Police.
