On a Thursday evening in Salem, Oregon, the lively atmosphere of the Oregon Museum Tavern was shattered by sudden and indiscriminate violence. It was May 7, 1981, when a man named Lawrence William Moore entered the establishment shortly after 10:30 p.m. Without any apparent warning or provocation, Moore opened fire with a 9mm Browning HP handgun, initially aiming at the bar and then turning his weapon on the patrons as they tried to flee in panic.
Among the victims of this senseless act was Robert Eric Hamblin, a 24-year-old self-employed auto body painter and a graduate of Silverton High School. He, along with two others, died at the scene.
The tragic event claimed the lives of three other individuals that night and in the immediate aftermath: Lori J. Cunningham, 22, John W. Cooper, 27, and Allen L. Wilcox, 24. In a horrifying turn of events, a fifth victim, Dennis Scharf, would succumb to the injuries he sustained that night over three decades later, in 2013. The chaos inside the tavern was brought to an end not by law enforcement, but by the courageous actions of the patrons themselves. One individual struck Moore with a pool cue, enabling others to tackle and restrain him until police arrived. Moore had come prepared for a prolonged assault, carrying multiple magazines and reloading during his attack.
Lawrence William Moore was taken into custody at the tavern. At his trial, which commenced on October 6, 1981, he did not deny being the gunman but pleaded innocent by reason of mental disease or defect. Moore claimed he was attempting to apprehend members of a supposed "syndicate" of millionaires, Jews, and criminals who he believed were trying to poison him. The jury rejected his plea, and he was found guilty on four counts of aggravated murder. Moore was subsequently sentenced to four life terms in prison. As of late 2024, he remained incarcerated at the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem. The names of Robert Eric Hamblin and the other victims are included on a memorial wall at Oregon City's Mountain View Cemetery, dedicated to homicide victims.
