**Stabbing Incident at Union Gospel Mission in Salem Leaves Eleven Hospitalized**

A violent stabbing incident erupted at the Union Gospel Mission in downtown Salem, Oregon, on Sunday evening, resulting in eleven individuals being hospitalized. The episode unfolded around 7:15 p.m., as confirmed by Angela Hedrick, a spokesperson for Salem police. A man, whose identity has not been disclosed, was swiftly taken into custody following the altercation.

The injured victims were transported to Salem Hospital for treatment. However, details on the extent of their injuries remain unavailable. Salem Health, the parent company of Salem Hospital, has yet to provide comments regarding the situation.

The incident occurred within the Union Gospel Mission's Men's Mission, a 50,000-square-foot facility that opened in 2021, situated a few blocks from its earlier location established in the 1960s and conveniently located across the street from the Salem Police Department.

Craig Smith, the Executive Director of Union Gospel Mission, noted in a late-night phone conversation that the suspect was a recent arrival at the mission. Having stayed there for the first time on Saturday night, he was preparing to check in for a second night when the altercation began. According to Smith, "Something... set him off, and he evidently had a knife in his bag."

The violent confrontation erupted just before the suspect would have handed over his belongings to the mission staff. At least one staff member, who was managing the check-in desk at the time, sustained injuries during the attack. Victims were found both inside the mission’s day room and in the surrounding area.

The mission’s security cameras captured the incident, and this footage has been handed over to the police for further investigation. "We're sharing video with them," Smith confirmed. "The whole incident is on video."