Man shoots, kills co-worker in Irrigon

By Terry Murry on Friday, July 9th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

IRRIGON – A worker at the Amazon site in Morrow County allegedly shot and killed a co-worker at the Oregon Trail RV Park in Irrigon Thursday night. Witnesses at the scene reported that Brett Ian Carson, 43, shot Donald Eugene Beal of Irrigon in the eye. Morrow County District Attorney Justin Nelson said that the two apparently got into an argument.

When the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene, EMS attempted to treat Beal, but he was declared dead. Witnesses told deputies that Carson shot Beal and then left. Law enforcement located him at his residence and took him into custody without incident.

“After interviews with Brett Carson and multiple witnesses, Brett Carson was lodged at the Umatilla County Jail on charges of murder in the second degree and unlawful use of a weapon,” Nelson wrote in a news release.

Carson’s preliminary arraignment is this afternoon as is Beal’s autopsy with the Oregon State Police Medical Examiner’s Office. Nelson said he will take the matter before a grand jury next week and, based on the charges to be filed after that, he will determine whether to ask for either a very high bail or no bail at all.

Nelson praised the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office and assisting agencies including the Oregon State Police and its forensic division, the Umatilla Police Department, and local emergency medical service providers. He urged anyone with information about the shooting to contact the sheriff’s office at 541-676-5317.