Oregon Man Gets 30 Years for Plotting Mass Shooting at Smith Rock Event

The man who planned a mass shooting at the annual rock climbing festival at Smith Rock State Park was sentenced to 30 years behind bars by a Deschutes County judge on Monday.

Samson Garner (41) planned to open fire on spectators and participants at the three-day Craggin’ Classic, hosted by the American Alpine Club, in October 2023.

According to court records, Garner was found guilty on multiple charges, which included attempted first-degree murder, attempted first-degree assault, and the unlawful use of a weapon. His 30-year sentence was handed down by Judge Allison Emerson.

Court records reveal that law enforcement first became aware of Garner in August 2023, when he expressed the desire to use an assault rifle to massacre skiers at Mt. Hood Meadows in a number of emails. At that stage, Garner had no previous convictions in Oregon.

Recipients of the emails reported the content of his messages to the Portland Police Bureau, which filed an ‘extreme risk protection’ order to force Garner to relinquish his weapons, according to court records.

According to a statement by the American Alpine Club issued in October 2023, Garner was a former member of the organization.

One day before the start of the Craggin’ Classic, Garner was arrested by PPB officers. He had in his possession an AR-15 assault rifle, a pistol, and other weapons and ammunition, which included body armor and armor-piercing ammunition.