Oregon authorities say Marcio Garcia drove himself to a hospital after being shot in the head while pulling out of an In-N-Out drive-thru with his wife and two young sons, and two Salem men — Ethan Adrian Armenta-Lagunas and Gabriel “Alex” Javier — have been arrested in the case while a third suspect, Anthony Taylor-Manriquez, remains at large; Keizer Police Department investigators reported multiple firearms were found at one suspect’s apartment. The family, community and medical teams are now focused on Garcia’s recovery and the ongoing search and prosecution efforts.
The arrests came after a chaotic February evening when shots rang out near an In-N-Out, shattering windows and striking Marcio Garcia while he sat in a car with his wife and their children, ages 2 and 7. Police took 20-year-old Ethan Adrian Armenta-Lagunas and 18-year-old Gabriel “Alex” Javier into custody on Wednesday, and both face a slate of serious charges tied to the incident. Authorities say counts include first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, criminal mischief, and recklessly endangering another person.
Investigators reported that multiple guns were found at Armenta-Lagunas’ apartment, a detail that adds weight to the more severe charges and raises questions about how the weapons were stored and moved. Javier was arrested later the same day, while 22-year-old Anthony Taylor-Manriquez is still being sought and is considered armed and dangerous. Law enforcement officials warned the community to avoid contact and to report any sightings to the authorities immediately.
The immediate aftermath saw Garcia, despite his wound, take decisive action to get his family to safety, an act his wife described in an online fundraiser. She wrote that “In the middle of chaos and fear, while he was injured and in pain, he somehow found the strength to drive us out of the scene to safety,” and later added, “He protected our family before thinking of himself. That is the kind of man and father he is.” Those words capture both the terror of the moment and the way his family is processing what happened.
Surgery was required to remove the bullet from Garcia’s head, and images of that bullet were posted by his wife online in the weeks following the attack. Medical updates have been cautiously optimistic: Garcia did not suffer major brain damage, and he is now recovering at home under close care. His healing process is expected to be lengthy, with rest and rehabilitation on the immediate horizon.
“The doctors told us what we already believe—this is nothing short of a miracle,” his wife said, offering a blend of relief and realism about what lies ahead. Even with that optimism, the family faces practical hurdles: physical recovery, emotional recovery for the children who witnessed the event, and the ripple effects of medical bills and time away from work. Community members have rallied around the family, and the fundraiser aims to cover those mounting needs so the family can focus on healing.
From a legal perspective, the charges against the two detained suspects are serious and could carry significant penalties if proven in court, especially given the alleged presence of multiple firearms. Prosecutors will likely point to the location, the presence of children in the car, and the nature of the wound when deciding how to proceed. Meanwhile, the search for Taylor-Manriquez complicates the case; his status as armed and dangerous keeps investigators and neighbors on edge.
Police continue to piece together the timeline, motive, and exact sequence of events that led to the shooting near the burger chain, and they encouraged anyone with information to step forward. The Keizer Police Department is coordinating with other local agencies to track leads and to ensure public safety while the investigation and any potential arrests unfold. For Garcia’s family, the days ahead will be spent balancing medical appointments, legal cooperation, and the slow work of recovery.
