The Night Hope Bled: A Butcher’s Walk Through a Salem Shelter

They say true horror lives in the mundane. On June 1, 2025, around 7:15 p.m., right across from the Salem Police Department, the Union Gospel Mission—this blandly named homeless shelter—transformed into a blood-splattered chamber of chaos.

A man, Tony Latrell Williams, 42, from Bend, Oregon, shuffled in like any other client. He’d spent the night before under their roof. But this time, during check‑in, something snapped. He fished an eight‑inch knife from his bag and—without warning—launched into a spree of stabbing, hitting staff first, then guests and anyone nearby as the shockwave rippled outward  .

Witness Bobby Epperly later recounted media‑worthy horror: “It’s like a horror movie,” he said, describing blood pooling inside the lobby and bodies collapsing outside  . Sanctuary turned slaughterhouse in mere seconds.

By the time police swarmed, Williams had fled outside. But they caught up in minutes. Video from a bystander’s phone shows him subdued—hands pulled back, cops on him, the weight of his actions finally crashing down  .

Twelve men—ages 26 to 57—were wounded. Eleven were rushed to Salem Health; the twelfth arrived later. Five remained in critical condition into Monday  . Among them: shelter staff, men there for recovery, stability, a roof over their head—now thrust into bedlam.

Investigators interned Williams in Marion County Jail, slapping him with charges ranging from second‑degree assault to attempted murder—11 of them  . Motive? They’ve found none. He didn’t specifically target homelessness. He was simply there—and he erupted.

Shelter director Craig Smith says the facility, which houses up to 150 men a night, is “shaken… grieving,” now reviewing safety measures. Salem Mayor Julie Hoy admits the city sits in shock: “A difficult thing to process,” she said.

Imagine men seeking warmth and a chance to rebuild flicker like candles against a storm—then the storm arrives inside, tearing them down. That’s the scene.

Walls meant to hold hope instead held horror. Sanctuary shattered. Lives unspooled in a matter of heartbeats.