Safeway victim remembered by Bend community: 'I'm not surprised that he stood up and tried to take on the gunman'

Author: KGW Staff

BEND, Ore. (KGW) — Donald Surrett Jr., 66, was one of the two victims who died Sunday evening in the shooting at a Safeway in Bend. Bend police say he attempted to disarm the shooter and likely prevented further violence.

“I’m not surprised that he stood up and tried to take on the gunman. I am surprised he’s dead,” said Robert Landers, a commander of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization in Bend.

Surrett, a Bend resident, was a veteran who was a combat engineer. He served at the DAV organization as treasurer.

His friends and family said they weren’t surprised to hear of his bravery. They believe his instincts kicked in and he did what he could to save others.

“He’s going to be hard to replace,” said Robert Cusick, the senior vice commander of the organization, while holding back tears.

Surrett was the victim killed near the rear of the store. He was working in the produce section of the Safeway on Sunday when the gunman came in and opened fire, police said.

The night of the shooting, Surrett hid behind a cart and waited until the suspect got close enough for him to attack him with a produce knife. The suspect shot and killed Surrett and later shot and killed himself.

Investigators discovered a string of more than 100 shell casings that stretched from the shooter’s apartment complex behind The Forum shopping center, through the parking lot and into the store.

The second victim, 84-year-old Glenn Edward Bennett, was also a Bend resident and a veteran who served as a medic in the Korean War, according to a GoFundMe page set up by his family.

Bennett was shot and killed at the front of the store. After they saw Bennett get shot, two Safeway shoppers rushed back in to pull him out of the building where medics tried to save him, police said.

On Tuesday, police confirmed that the shooter had worked at that Safeway for a short time and that he bought his three guns, including an AR-15 style rifle, legally.

GoFundMe pages have been set up for both Surrett and Bennett to help their family with funeral expenses. Safeway and Alberton’s will also be collecting donations at the registers of all Oregon and southern Washington stores.