Knife-wielding wannabe carjacker demands driver's keys, experiences sudden change of heart when victim pulls gun on him

A knife-wielding wannabe carjacker demanded a driver's keys in the parking lot of an Oregon Walmart last week — but quickly changed his mind when the victim pulled a gun on him.

What are the details?

Officers from the McMinnville Police Department responded to a local Walmart around 11:25 a.m. last Tuesday after a report of an attempted robbery in the parking lot, authorities said. McMinnville is about an hour southwest of Portland.

Police said the victim was loading items into his car when an adult male carrying a large knife approached him and demanded his car keys.

Image source: McMinnville (Oregon) Police Department

Fearing for his life, the victim drew a handgun he had holstered on his hip and pointed it at the subject, who ran away through the parking lot toward the adjoining WinCo Foods grocery store, police said, adding that the victim was not harmed.

Officers arrived in the area after about a minute and began searching for the subject, police said.

Authorities learned the subject left luggage behind, and one piece of luggage had a tag with the subject's name on it, police said.

Officers obtained a photo of the subject and quickly determined that an individual standing near a Panda Express restaurant on the other side of Hwy 99W was the subject of interest, police said.

Police detained the subject without incident, and he admitted to his involvement in the incident involving the victim in the parking lot, authorities said.

During the investigation, officers viewed surveillance video from Walmart and WinCo Foods, and an officer found a piece of clothing the subject ditched while fleeing the area, police said.

An officer also learned that a bystander found a large knife in the parking lot and picked it up for safety reasons, not realizing it was used in the original incident, police said, adding that the knife was collected as evidence.

The subject — identified as Aaron J. Quiocho, 22, of Beaverton — admitted to ditching the knife as he ran away through the Walmart parking lot, police added.

Quiocho told police a family member dropped him off in McMinnville because he wasn't wanted at the family member's house in Beaverton. Quiocho added to police that he intended to take the victim’s car so he could drive back to the family member’s house.

Quiocho was arrested and taken to the Yamhill County Jail on the charges of robbery, menacing, unlawful use of a weapon, and attempted unlawful use of a motor vehicle, police said.

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