Instagram Ethan Miller
Ethan Blair Miller, the active shooter who killed two people August 28 at a Safeway grocery store in Bend, Oregon, left behind a voluminous journal filled with rage that indicated he was initially planning a school shooting.
In the manifesto, which spanned multiple entries and days, and some of which you can read later in this article, Miller expressed a fascination with the Columbine school shooting, raged against his former school and society in general, and blamed isolation from COVID-19 restrictions for sending him over the edge. He also outright declared that he was “evil.”
Bend Police spokesperson Sheila Miller identified the shooter as Ethan Blair Miller, 20, of Bend, and the two victims as Glenn Edward Bennett, a shopper, and Donald Ray Surrett Jr., an employee who tried to disarm the gunman. Bennett, 84, of Bend, was shot near the entrance to the store, she said. Surrett, 66, of Bend, was shot in the rear of the store, in the produce section.
“Surrett engaged with the shooter, attempted to disarm him, and may very well have prevented further deaths,” police spokeswoman Miller said. “Mr. Surrett acted heroically during this terrible incident.” Two other people suffered injuries that were not life-threatening. You can read more about the victims here. Both were military veterans.
GoFundMeSafeway victims Glenn Edward Bennett and Donald Surrett
Officers responded to the store in the area of The Forum Shopping Center on Sunday night, August 28, 2022, according to police.
In One Journal Entry, Miller Called Himself a ‘Blood-Thirsty, Evil…Psychopath’
Wattpadd
The journal entries, which were posted on Wattpad before being deleted, reveal a disturbed mind.
“I’m a blood-thirsty, evil f****** psychopath,” he wrote in a journal entry on Wattpad reviewed and saved by Heavy before it was deleted. The page is called the “downward spiral of Ethan Miller.” The gunman also posted on Instagram pictures of himself with weapons.
“Well, this is it,” read another post on the manifesto. “Today’s the day I die.”
Miller wrote that he planned to be a school shooter and was influenced by Columbine, but he could not wait any longer, which is how he ended up at the Safeway. He left behind voluminous social media accounts, including videos and photos showing him with and firing guns.
Miller had no criminal history and authorities did not learn about his writings until after the mass shooting, Sheila Miller said. She said police were investigating how Ethan Miller acquired the weapons.
Miller Left a Journal Railing Against COVID Restrictions and Writing, ‘I Was Turned Into a Monster. I Created This Tragedy. But Society Created Me’
WattpadEthan Miller journal
In the manifesto, Miller railed about COVID-19 “hysteria” by government and blamed isolation and loneliness for the mass shooting.
Social media
“If you’re reading this then I’m definitely DEAD and have just committed a ‘NATIONAL TRAGEDY.’ I’ve left this journal for all the investigators, Media, Internet Sleuths, etc. but most importantly this is for the VERY FEW people that I actually care about and want to understand why and how this happened so that they can be at peace. I’m gonna lay it all out for you all so that by the end of all of this you will all understand why I did what I did. What you’ll see here is the documentation and description of the Months, Weeks, Days from Today up until The Massacre.
Well then I guess I should tell you all a little bit about myself yeah? Not much that’s noteworthy and most of the stuff about my birth and early life (Ahhhh back when things were much much simpler) is gonna be pretty easy to find. I’ve changed A LOT since then, Obviously lol. The real changes started a little over two years ago when COVID first started to become a global thing. God that still f****** p***** me off.
I still cannot believe that the entire world fell for that. The virus itself was real and deadly but instead of actually coming up with a real solution to the problem they (meaning the Tyrannical U.S. GOVERNMENT) instead USED the problem to create mass hysteria and panic among us (Meaning the people of AMERICA) and then forced us into isolation and loneliness for a SIGNIFICANT amount of time.
I still haven’t been able to pull myself out of that state. Despite numerous attempts at getting back into MMA, which I still love so dearly and always will, Despite numerous attempts at new jobs, despite numerous attempts at finding love once again, despite numerous attempts at being social and trying to make new friendships they have proved futile. So now we’re here. I hope that this journal can give you all a sense of peace and closure. But the world has made this happen. I am responsible for this, but I was turned into a monster. I created this Tragedy. But Society created Me.
Another post read, “My humanity is gone. I have no emotions whatsoever.”
Wattpad
In another post, he claimed he was not a white supremacist or incel but hated “everything.” He added, “I’m at peace with the monster I’ve become.”
Wattpad
Police revealed in news conference on August 29 that as officers responded, the shooter entered from the Fox Hollow apartments. He was shooting rounds from an AR-15-style rifle.. They found a shotgun and AR-15 rifle in close proximity to the shooter. There was no evidence of a second shooter, despite early reports. Molotov cocktails were found in his car.
Ethan Miller, Who Posted Photos & Videos Showing Him With Guns, Wrote That He Was ‘Done Waiting’ & Was Influenced by Columbine
Social mediaEthan Miller
Miller, who posted photos with guns on social media, brought an AR-15 to the Safeway store. On August 27, 2022, in a journal entry, Miller wrote that he was “done waiting.”
“I CAN’T WAIT ANY LONGER. The rage has become uncontrollable,” the journal entry reads.
Wattpad
He also left behind a YouTube channel with multiple videos, some showing shooting guns.
In another post, Miller indicated he planned to be a school shooter and was influenced by Columbine.
Wattpad
At a press conference late Sunday, Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said, “At approximately 7:04 p.m. we received a call for service at the Forum Shopping Center. Multiple 911 calls came in. As police responded we had reports of at least one possible or two active shooters in the area. The calls were shots being fired. We believe the shooter entered from a residential area behind the Forum Shopping Center. The shooter moved through the parking lot from the Costco on the west end shooting rounds an AR-15-style rifle.”
social mediaEthan Miller
Krantz said the shooter then went into the west entrance of Safeway. The chief said, “They engaged one person there and shot that person. That person was transported to the hospital and was later pronounced deceased. The shooter continued through the Safeway firing rounds. The shooter killed a second person inside the Safeway. Officers responded and when they arrived they entered the Safeway immediately, still hearing shots. They found the apparent shooter dead inside Safeway.”
Social mediaEthan Miller
Miller ranted about Mountain View school and left journal posts indicating he was considering an attack there instead.
“No good memories about that school or the staff within it,” he wrote a week before the Safeway shooting.
Wattpad
He was an amateur MMA fighter. He was posting on Columbine Reddit posts. He also had a playlist dedicated to the shooting he posted to Spotify. His YouTube had videos of him shooting.
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