Every time he talks about gun safety, Craig Van Bruggen, a chemist from Bend, brings a measure of experience that is not for the faint of heart.

He was in the east Bend Safeway when the bullets were flying in 2022 during a mass shooting incident, and he was at Smith Rock State Park a year later, on the day law enforcement officers intercepted a heavily armed Portland man who allegedly planned to shoot rock climbers and their friends.

The memories give him a chill. But Van Bruggen, a gun enthusiast who is about to become a father, has found himself speaking more these days about gun safety as the Oregon Supreme Court debates the fate of Measure 114, which requires background checks for all firearm sales and closes loopholes that allow some gun sales to occur before a background check is completed.

Gunman sprays aisles of Bend Safeway; 3 dead

Gunman sprays aisles of Bend Safeway; 3 dead

“It’s a feeling I never felt before: The feeling of being hunted,” Van Bruggen said. “The past two years have been a period of healing and getting back to normal. We didn’t go grocery shopping for a while. We did delivery. We did that for a while. Then we started to go back to grocery stores and other public places slowly and developed a comfort.”

For Van Bruggen, it’s the image of a man holding tightly to the hands of two young daughters as they ran down the soft drink aisle together toward the back of the store that haunts his thoughts. He wonders how they’re doing.

When the Oregon Alliance for Gun Safety reached out to Van Bruggen recently, he stepped forward to talk about his experiences and feelings.

“I’m not anti-gun,” Van Bruggen said. “I enjoy marksmanship. I grew up steeped in farm culture. My grandparents owned a farm. I feel like we need good guys with guns. I’m pro-responsible gun ownership.

“It’s not about taking away guns, but promoting responsible gun ownership.”

Rights vs responsibilities

Often gun rights dominates gun safety discussions, said Jess Marks, Alliance for a Safe Oregon executive director.

“You can see this in the Oregon Legislature, where politicians walked out last year over meaningful gun violence prevention policies that were supported by over 70% of Oregonians, rather than collaborating on meaningful action that respected firearm owners,” Marks said. “We need to change who we are listening to.”

Measure 114, approved by voters in 2022, has been on hold due to legal challenges.

Currently there are two challenges. One is a federal case that’s on appeal after a U.S. District Court ruled in July 2023 that Measure 114 is both constitutional and in line with the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent rulings on gun safety. Lawyers for the gun lobby appealed the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The second challenge involves a Harney County judge who ruled that Measure 114 is unconstitutional under the Oregon Constitution. The Oregon Department of Justice appealed the decision and oral arguments in the case took place last week.

Safeway worker tries to disarm gunman before being shot, killed in Bend grocery shooting

Safeway worker tries to disarm gunman before being shot, killed in Bend grocery shooting

To create change in gun safety, Marks said, policymakers need to hear from people like Van Bruggen, people affected by gun tragedies. Talking about gun violence sometimes can be triggering, Marks said.

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has introduced a series of legislative measures to support responsible gun ownership.

“The time for tweeting out thoughts and prayers in response to gun violence in our country is long past,” Wyden said. “Our communities deserve action that keeps everybody safe in schools, homes and public gathering spaces. That’s’ why I’m taking comprehensive action to pass common-sense legislation that would protect domestic abuse survivors, curb firearms trafficking, repeal the gun industry’s legal liability shield and strengthen gun storage provisions.”

Most shootings involving a firearm stem from mental health issues, said Jefferson County Sheriff Jason Pollock.

“It is not a gun control issue. Every single case I have ever been involved in regarding a homicide that is not drug dealer related, has been a mental health issue.

“Fix the drug issue and the mental health issue, and we will see a drop in violence across the board.”

Thinking back on that day

Recalling the events, Van Bruggen closed his eyes tightly, talking about the shooting that killed two men on Aug. 28, 2022. As he recalled the scenes, a small crease appeared between his eyes.

Multnomah man charged with planning mass shooting in Deschutes County

Multnomah man charged with planning mas shooting in Deschutes County

He was on the phone with his then-fiancé talking about mixers for their signature cocktail that would be served at their upcoming wedding. While he was talking on the phone, a man came up to him and whispered in his ear that there was a gunman in the store. He started to run toward the back of the store, but was concerned the back entrance might be blocked, so he headed east.

New records, video show horror and heroism during Bend Safeway shooting

New records, video show horror and heroism during Bend Safeway shooting

He ran up the produce aisle moments before Donald Surrett, 66, was shot and killed there. He made a beeline for the east-side doors, not stopping until he crossed 27th Street. His wife, on the phone with him the whole time, picked him up in her car soon after. Van Bruggen would later learn that the gunman, 20-year-old Ethan Miller, also killed Glenn Bennett, 84, just inside the front door, before turning a gun on himself.

“I don’t want the community to forget Mr. Bennett and Mr. Surrett,” Van Bruggen said. “I don’t want to lose momentum for our mission to make our community safer. Having a baby on the way also compels me to take a stand on gun safety to make our community safer for those that are most vulnerable.”

The incident carved a hole in the heart of the community, Van Bruggen said. For the past two years Van Bruggen has worked to regain his footing. He’s returned to the stores, although not back to the east Bend Safeway. He’s using his grief now to provide a platform to talk about gun safety and to take action.

“I think about that daughter, what she experienced, and I want my child to grow up in a safer world,” Van Bruggen said, referring to the daughters who ran down the soft-drink aisle. “Now that I’ve spent the last couple years of regaining my footing, my grief is more about taking action and looking for ways make the world safer for my kid.”