A young Oregon father took a bullet to the head while leaving an In-N-Out drive-thru with his wife and two small boys, yet still had to be his own first responder in a country where soft-on-crime policies let violent predators roam free.
Story Snapshot
- Oregon dad Marcio Garcia was shot in the head while leaving an In-N-Out drive-thru with his wife and two sons, ages 2 and 7, but still drove them to safety.[1][2]
- Police say two Salem men have been arrested and a third suspect, labeled armed and dangerous, is still on the run.[1][2]
- Garcia survived emergency surgery and had a bullet removed from his head, underscoring both the brutality of the attack and his determination to live.[1][2]
- The case highlights growing concern that ordinary families are trapped between emboldened criminals and a justice system more focused on politics than public safety.
Father Shot in the Head While Protecting His Family
Police in Keizer, Oregon say a late-night burger run turned into a nightmare on February 9 when shots rang out near the intersection of Keizer Station Boulevard and Ulali Drive Northeast, just after a family of four pulled out of an In-N-Out drive-thru.[1] Officers reported that the windows of the family’s vehicle were shot out and that 28-year-old father Marcio Garcia, a Salem resident, was struck in the head by a bullet while his wife and two young sons sat inside.[1][2]
Garcia’s wife later wrote in an online fundraiser that “while at Keizer Station, we were caught in a shooting,” adding that by “the grace of God” the family survived even though her husband “suffered a gunshot wound.”[1] Despite having a bullet lodged in his head, Garcia reportedly managed to keep control of the car and drive his wife and boys, ages 2 and 7, to safety rather than crash or stop in the line of fire.[1][2] His actions prevented further tragedy and gave officers time to respond.
Arrests, Wanted Suspect, and an Uneasy Community
Reports say the Keizer Police Department has arrested two Salem men, 20-year-old Ethan Adrian Armenta-Lagunas and 18-year-old Gabriel “Alex” Javier, in connection with the shooting that left Garcia critically injured.[1][2] Both men were booked on charges including first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, criminal mischief, and recklessly endangering another person.[1][2] Police and local coverage describe the investigation as an ongoing, multi-suspect case rather than a closed incident, reflecting the seriousness of the crime.
Authorities are still searching for a third suspect, 22-year-old Anthony Taylor-Manriquez of Salem, who investigators have publicly described as armed and dangerous.[1][2] Officers have asked the public for help locating him and warned that he should not be approached. Reports also say multiple firearms were allegedly recovered from an apartment associated with Armenta-Lagunas during a search, reinforcing the view that this was not a single impulsive shot but part of a broader pattern of violent criminal behavior.[2][3]
Recovery, Resilience, and the Question of Public Safety
Doctors performed surgery on Garcia in February to remove the bullet from his head, and photos shared by the family show the projectile that had been lodged in his skull.[2] His wife has said he narrowly avoided major brain damage and is now recovering at home, a blessing for his children who witnessed their father bleeding in the driver’s seat.[1][2] The case demonstrates both the resilience of one young father and the long-term physical, emotional, and financial toll violent crime places on working families.
Oregon police have arrested two suspects in connection with the shooting of a father while he was pulling out of In-N-Out drive-thru with his wife and two young sons.
Ethan Adrian Armenta-Lagunas, 20, and Gabriel "Alex" Javier, 18, of Salem, were taken into custody Wednesday.
— Deacon Tony (@tony58299) May 15, 2026
The public record so far mostly consists of police statements and media summaries, not full incident reports, forensic files, or detailed charging documents.[1][2] That means key questions about motive, who fired which shot, and how investigators tied each suspect to the crime will be answered later through the justice process rather than headline snippets.[1][3] Still, the basic facts are clear enough: a random family outing turned into a gun attack, two suspects are in custody, one remains at large, and a young dad is alive only because he kept fighting.
Sources:
[1] Web – Dad shot in head leaving In-N-Out with family, perp wanted
[2] Web – Man shot at In-N-Out drive-thru drove family to safety with bullet …
[3] Web – Father drives family to safety with bullet lodged in head after Oregon …
