In the early hours of a December morning, a dispute over loud music in a Gresham, Oregon, apartment complex parking lot turned fatal. Susan Henson, a 70-year-old Caucasian woman, was shot and critically injured just before 3 a.m. on December 10, 2024. She was transported to a local trauma center but succumbed to her injuries.
The incident began when Henson went outside to confront a man and a woman about the volume of the music coming from their vehicle.
An argument ensued, and according to court documents, Henson reportedly knocked take-out food from their hands. The situation escalated when Henson's boyfriend intervened and used pepper spray on the man. In response, the man, identified as 26-year-old Kuian Kellum, fired three shots, one of which struck Henson in the head. Kellum later told police that he feared he was going to be beaten.
Gresham police officers who responded to the scene arrested Kellum. He was initially charged with attempted murder and first-degree assault. Following Henson's death, authorities stated that Kellum would likely face additional charges.
According to her family, Henson had been a resident of the apartment complex for some time and had previously complained about loud music from the same individual. Her mother described the shooting as a senseless act. In the wake of her death, Henson's family made the decision to donate her organs, an act that saved three lives.
