Oregon Carjacking Thwarted After Victim Pulls Gun on Suspect

McMinnville, Oregon– McMinnville Police Department officers responded to an attempted robbery at Walmart on Tuesday morning, that unfolded around 11:25 AM in the store’s parking lot.

The victim, while loading items into his vehicle, faced a dangerous encounter when an adult male brandishing a large knife approached, demanding car keys. Fearing for his life, the quick-thinking victim drew a holstered handgun and pointed it at the assailant, prompting a hasty retreat through the Walmart parking lot towards WinCo Foods grocery store.

Within a minute, officers arrived on the scene, initiating a search for the suspect. Discovering abandoned luggage nearby, officers secured a photograph of the subject using a tag bearing his name. The investigation pinpointed the subject near Panda Express on the opposite side of Hwy 99W. The subject, identified as 22-year-old Aaron J. Quiocho of Beaverton, was detained without incident and subsequently admitted his involvement during the interview.

Video surveillance footage from Walmart and WinCo Foods was crucial in reconstructing the events. A discarded piece of clothing near WinCo Foods was located, and an officer learned that an uninvolved citizen had inadvertently picked up a large knife for safety reasons, unaware of its connection to the carjacking. The knife was seized as evidence, corroborating the subject’s admission of discarding it during his escape through the Walmart parking lot.

The suspect, Mr. Quiocho, explained that he had been dropped off in McMinnville by a family member, citing tensions in their Beaverton residence. His intent, he stated during the interview, was to commandeer the victim’s vehicle to return to the family member’s house. Mr. Quiocho now faces charges of Robbery in the First Degree, Menacing, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Attempted Unlawful Use of a Motor Vehicle. He has been arrested and is currently lodged at the Yamhill County Jail.

Despite the traumatic nature of the incident, the victim emerged physically unharmed but understandably shaken.