Victim of hammer attack downgraded to critical

PORTLAND, Ore. - A Beaverton woman seriously injured when a man attacked her with a hammer in a Fred Meyer told her family she doesn't know why she was targeted.

Sharon Weil, 56, was shopping for Mother's Day at the Fred Meyer at 11425 S.W. Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway in Beaverton Saturday afternoon when someone hit her in the head with a hammer and fractured her skull.

She was reportedly bending over to look at an item on a shelf when she was struck in what police are calling a random attack.

Weil was taken to Oregon Health and Science University, where she underwent surgery. She was listed in serious condition Sunday, but she was downgraded to critical condition on Monday.

Her sister, Dana Hunt, said doctors don't know yet if she will fully recover.

"She's in serious condition in a tremendous amount of pain," Hunt said.

Weil was only able to say a few words to her family.

"Her immediate response today was 'Why?' " Hunt said. "She's just alarmed as to why something like this would happen."

Her family said Weil is a longtime volunteer in Beaverton who has been honored for her work in the Jewish Federation, raising money for poor people around the world.

The suspect in the attack, Eric Osterholme, was taken into custody at the store shortly after the incident. He was found standing next to a checkout stand. (He is pictured below.)

The 65-year-old Beaverton man is in jail on charges of attempted murder and assault.

Police said they looked at surveillance video from Fred Meyer but it does not show the attack. It does, however, show Osterholme walking straight to the victim.

Police said he did not appear to know Weil. They were looking into his background to determine whether he had any history of mental illness.