Background emerges about Portland climber accused of planning mass shooting at Smith Rock weekend event

(Update: More details about suspect's background)

Several guns listed in charging document; Samson Garner held on $10 million bail;

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – More details have come to light about the climbing and work background of a  Portland man arrested late last week on attempted murder and other charges, accused of bringing several guns to Central Oregon for a planned shooting attack at a Smith Rock climbing event this weekend.

A LinkedIn page apparently for Samson Zebturiah Garner, 39, indicates his career in a series of positions in the IT field, from network administrator to IT manager. It also states that he has been involved for several years as a volunteer with the Mazamas and with Portland Mountain Rescue.

Garner indicated online he’d been a ski mountaineering leader and committee member with the Mazamas, a mountaineering education nonprofit, since the fall of 2016, and a trainee member with Portland Mountain Rescue since the summer of 2018.

But Rebekah Phillips, executive director of the Mazamas, told NewsChannel 21 on Sunday that “Garner’s activity within the Mazamas was extremely limited in recent years.”

“He was not participating in programs or activities,” Philips added.

NewsChannel 21 also has reached out to PMR for any comment on Garner's involvement in the rescue organization.

While the LinkedIn page indicated Garner was working at last report as an IT manager at LegitScript, a Portland internet payment system business, a company representative said he was employed there from October 2018 to February 2020.

Deschutes County Sheriff's Office detectives received information last Monday from their counterparts with the Portland Police Bureau about Garner “planning a violent attack during an event” in the county, Sergeant Jason Wall said Friday.

DCSO and Portland detectives worked for several days to investigate the man, and learned Thursday that Garner had left Portland and was in Deschutes County, Wall said.

Deschutes County detectives and patrol deputies found Garner and his vehicle, and based on information they had gathered, worked with the SWAT Team members to take Garner into custody around 2:20 p.m. Thursday without incident, Wall said. Detectives later served a search warrant on Garner’s vehicle and found “evidence of the planned attack,” the sergeant added.

Garner was booked into the county jail late Thursday night on charges of attempted murder, first and second-degree attempted assault and unlawful use of a weapon.

The event is held by the American Alpine Club, a nonprofit based in Golden, Colorado, which posted a statement Friday on its Facebook page:

"On October 18, the American Alpine Club was made aware of a potential threat to the health and safety of attendees to the Smith Rock Craggin Classic to be held October 20-22, 2023, at Smith Rock State Park.

"We worked closely with law enforcement agencies and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to monitor the situation and evaluate our ability to host the event, with the safety and well-being of our staff, volunteers, partners, and participants as our top priority. The associated individual was arrested and is now in custody, and authorities are confident there is no continued threat.

"We are grateful to the law enforcement agencies for their efforts and support during this incident," the group said.

NewsChannel 21 visited the park Saturday and event organizers declined to comment, instead directing a reporter to the group's online statement.

The district attorney’s office filed a 27-count charging document Friday against Garner, including four counts of attempted murder, eight counts of first-degree attempted assault and 15 counts of unlawful use of a weapon.

The DCSO news release and charging document don't identify the intended targets

But the DA’s document, called an information, refers to potential victims as "Belayer 1," "Belayer 2," "Spectator 1" and "Spectator 2." It also lists several weapons, including Beretta and Sig Sauer 9 mm handguns and an AR-15 rifle.

Belayers play a role in climbing, guiding a rope and making sure the climber has enough slack to climb but enough tension to catch them in the event of a fall.

Garner was arraigned Friday afternoon before Judge Beth Bagley, and was being held at the jail on $10 million bail pending his subsequent arraignment on an expected grand jury indictment next Friday, court records show.

Gunnels confirmed to NewsChannel 21 late Friday, "We believe he (Garner) was acting alone." He added, "We believe the fact that he's been arrested means there's no current threat to the public, so long as he's in custody."

The DA also confirmed that the guns listed in the charges were found in Samson's vehicle when searched after his arrest.

In his news release, Wall added, "The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Portland Police Bureau for sharing this information about Garner likely preventing a major incident in Deschutes County. Detectives have determined there is no continued threat as Garner is now in custody and, at this time, the investigation indicates that Garner was acting alone."

The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information to contact Detective Ben Geist at 541-617-3398. 

Wall said DCSO and PPB detectives were continuing to work on the investigation, and that any other details would be released by the District Attorney's Office.

Court records show Garner has no previous criminal record in Oregon, only a speeding and parking ticket and driving while using a cellphone.