GRESHAM -- A witness said the gunman threw a drink in his estranged wife's face in a Gresham bar before dragging her outside and shooting her. Then, the gunman came back inside the bar, shot two other women and then killed himself.
The gunman was identified as Jeffrey Grahn, 46, of Boring. He was an off-duty Clackamas County sergeant whose own brother-in-law described him as a control freak. Walter Trapp said Grahn physically and verbally abused his sister, Charlotte and every time she tried to leave him, Grahn would track her down.
That all ended in the worst way last Friday when police said Grahn killed Charlotte, shot two of her friends and then killed himself.
Charlotte, 47, was taken to Emanuel Hospital and was pronounced dead early Saturday afternoon. Kathleen Hoffmeister, 53, of Gresham, died at the scene, along with Jeffrey. Victoria Schulmerich, 53, of Gresham, was the only person who survived. She remained in critical condition at OHSU at last report.
Kerry Spickler was playing with the band onstage at the M&M Lounge when the violence unfolded.
Spickler told KGW that, after killing his estranged wife outside, the gunman walked right by us, turned around, pointed the gun at this girl, shot her, pointed the gun at another girl, shot her, and then went back outside.
Police said domestic violence was behind the shooting Friday evening about 9:50. All four knew each other, said Sgt. Rick Wilson, and the shooter, a 15-year veteran of the Clackamas County sheriff's office, also died after turning the gun on himself.
Gunman was a Clackamas Co. Sgt.
Jeffrey and Charlotte Grahn had filed for divorce last summer, said Gresham police captain Tim Gerkman. He added that the shooting should not reflect on the safety of day-to-day life in downtown Gresham. Unfortunately, this episode of domestic violence came out of the house into a random location, he said.
The Clackamas County sheriff's spokesman Det. Jim Strovink issued this prepared statement. Our devoted members of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office wish to express and extend their sincere condolences to all the victim families involved that have received the blazing brunt of this heartbreaking event.
Gresham residents shocked
Downtown businessman Cody Clark described the shooting as devastating and out of character with the normal reputation of the city.
Mayor Shane Bemis said the two recent shootings in Gresham were causing citizens to wonder about safety downtown. He assured them that Friday's violence at the M&M was geographically random and had nothing to do with Gresham.
It is safe. It's as safe as it was a month ago, six months ago. There are a lot of people working really hard down here, said Bemis.
That includes Georgiana Calatean, owner of a hair salon downtown for two years. I want customers to know that it's completely safe to come out here. This is a family town, she said.
Restaurant to reopen Tuesday
Scrub until spotless - that was the mission for volunteers at the M&M bar two days after the gruesome murder-suicide. The business owner tried to begin a transformation from crime scene back to restaurant and lounge.
We want to respect the deceased and their family our hearts going out to them, said bar owner Cissy Heitzman,who planned to re-open the bar on Tuesday. She has ordered new carpet to replace the old carpet where the shooting occurred. Heitzman hopes the incident doesn't scar her business forever.
This is a nice place - a family restaurant and lounge and we've been here for 25 years and we'd like to continue to serve the customer.
Heitzman said she planned to have a preacher bless her business before re-opening on Tuesday.
Anyone with information about the case was asked to call Gresham Police at (503) 618-2719.
