Burglar caught sleeping in Salem home accused of shooting acquaintance with stolen gun
A Salem man was arrested Sunday and faces charges alleging he shot a man in south Salem with a gun he stole from a home nearby.
Salem police arrested Jimmy J. Santos, 25, at the scene of a separate burglary Sunday after a homeowner reported a break-in and found a man sleeping inside the home, a statement from the Salem Police Department said. Police identified the man as Santos.
Santos was charged Monday in Marion County Circuit Court with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree burglary, theft and aggravated theft, along with unlawful use of a weapon.
He is accused of stealing a gun and “several thousand dollars in cash” from a home prior to the shooting, Salem police said in a statement. Charging documents indicate that burglary took place Saturday, May 10.
Just after 1 p.m. Sunday, police responded to a report of a gunshot victim at a home in the 4100 block of Southeast Campbell Drive. The suspect fled the scene before officers arrived and the victim was taken to medical care for a non-life-threatening injury, the statement said.
Over two hours later, at 3:45 p.m., a caller reported a burglary at their home on the 4000 block of Southeast Cranston Street and found the burglar sleeping inside. After police arrived on scene, they identified the suspect as Santos and arrested him without incident, according to the statement.
An initial investigation by Salem police determined Santos was involved in the Sunday shooting and that he was acquainted with the victim, but police did not say how the two men knew each other.
During the investigation, officers found that the weapon used in the shooting was a stolen handgun.
Santos is in custody at the Marion County Jail and was arraigned Monday afternoon on the charges in this case along with five outstanding warrants in other cases.
Court filings show that Santos faces charges of burglary, criminal trespassing, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and improper use of an emergency reporting system in three other criminal cases filed in April and May this year.
Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected].
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Madeleine Moore joined Salem Reporter in 2024 and reports on a variety of topics including public safety, addiction, treatment and the criminal justice system. She came to Salem after graduating from the University of Oregon in June 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
