Dad Drives Family to Safety—With Bullet in His Head!

Police cars with flashing lights at a nighttime scene behind crime scene tape

A Salem father drove his family to safety with a bullet lodged in his head after being shot at an Oregon In-N-Out drive-thru — and two suspects are now under arrest.

Story Highlights

Marcio Garcia was shot in the head while pulling out of an In-N-Out drive-thru in Keizer, Oregon, but managed to drive his family to safety before receiving medical treatment.
Two separate shootings occurred at Keizer Station on the night of February 9, 2026, leaving two people injured and sending shockwaves through the community.
Oregon police arrested two suspects in connection with the shootings, including Keith A. Winans, 42, a transient charged in the second incident at a nearby restaurant.
The case highlights growing public safety concerns in Oregon communities where violent crime continues to threaten ordinary families going about their daily lives.

Father Takes a Bullet, Protects His Family

Marcio Garcia and his family had just left the In-N-Out restaurant at Keizer Station when gunfire erupted at approximately 10:15 p.m. on February 9, 2026. A bullet struck Garcia in the head as shots shattered the family’s vehicle windows. Despite the catastrophic injury, Garcia kept his composure and drove his family away from the danger zone, reaching a fire station where emergency responders could treat him before he was transported to a hospital.

Garcia’s act of sheer willpower under the most extreme circumstances almost certainly saved his family’s lives. He is reported to be recovering from his head wound. The image of a father absorbing a bullet and still steering his children to safety encapsulates a kind of courage that rarely makes headlines in today’s media environment — but absolutely should.

Two Shootings, One Night, One Community Shaken

Keizer Police confirmed they investigated two separate shootings that same evening at Keizer Station, a busy commercial hub in the Salem metro area. The second shooting occurred at approximately 3:15 a.m. on February 9 outside the Hops restaurant, where a Sysco truck driver was also injured. Authorities recovered a firearm near the scene of the second incident and moved quickly to make an arrest.

Keith A. Winans, 42, a transient, was arrested Tuesday afternoon and booked into Marion County Jail on charges including menacing, unlawful use of a weapon, attempted burglary, criminal mischief, and initiating a false report — all in connection with the Hops restaurant shooting. Oregon police announced that two suspects total have been arrested in connection with the night’s violence, though the investigation into the first shooting at the In-N-Out location continues.

Oregon’s Crime Problem Isn’t Going Away

Oregon has struggled with rising violent crime and the consequences of soft-on-crime policies that took root during the progressive governance era. A family stopping at a fast-food restaurant shouldn’t have to fear for their lives, yet that is exactly what happened in Keizer. Keizer Police detectives are continuing to follow leads to identify any remaining suspects connected to the In-N-Out shooting, and the community is watching closely.

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

Cases like this one are a stark reminder that public safety cannot be taken for granted. When transients and violent individuals operate freely in commercial areas, law-abiding families pay the price. Garcia’s survival is nothing short of miraculous, but the broader question remains: how many more families will find themselves in the crossfire before Oregon’s communities demand real accountability and serious consequences for violent offenders?