Those that knew Donald Ray Surrett Jr. say the Safeway grocery retailer employee who was killed whereas making an attempt to disarm a gunman in Bend, Oregon, was performing within the selfless approach he at all times had.
“He was the sort of individual that will soar in earlier than fascinated with what he was doing to try to cease a scenario,” mentioned his ex-wife, Debora Surrett, 65, of Sacramento, California.
Police known as Surrett, 66, a hero for placing his life on the road as he tried to wrest an AR-15-style rifle from a 20-year-old man who they mentioned opened fireplace Sunday within the retailer the place Surrett was working.
Surrett and buyer Glenn Edward Bennett, 84, have been killed earlier than the gunman fatally shot himself, police mentioned.
“Surrett engaged with the shooter, tried to disarm him and should very effectively have prevented additional deaths,” Bend Police Division spokeswoman Sheila Miller mentioned at a information convention. “Mr. Surrett acted heroically throughout this horrible incident.”
Police mentioned Surrett was fatally shot within the rear of the shop close to the produce part.
Debora Surrett mentioned her ex-husband was an Military veteran who was at all times prepared to danger his life for the better good.
“I believe it’s nice what he did,” she mentioned when reached by cellphone Tuesday. “He tried to save lots of lives. That’s a part of who he at all times was.”
Donald Surrett served within the army for over 20 years as a fight engineer, and he had in depth army coaching, she mentioned. He served in Germany on three events and on bases in California, Texas and Missouri, she mentioned.
As a stay-at-home mom to their three kids, Debora Surrett made the strikes with him. They have been highschool sweethearts who grew up down the road from each other in Sacramento and dated for about three years earlier than marrying in 1975, she mentioned.
She mentioned they divorced round 2002, and the final time they spoke over the cellphone was a few yr in the past. She appeared ahead annually to them exchanging vacation playing cards by the mail.
Officers have been known as to the Safeway on the Discussion board Purchasing Middle shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday on studies of photographs fired, in line with the Bend Police Division.
After the taking pictures, police recovered a sawed-off shotgun and three Molotov cocktails within the gunman’s car, together with extra ammunition and “digital units,” authorities mentioned.
