Portland teen faces terrorism, attempted murder charges after school cafeteria chemical scare
An Oregon high school cafeteria chemical scare that left a student in critical condition has escalated into a domestic terrorism and attempted murder case against the same teenager school staff rushed to save.
The 15-year-old Benson Polytechnic High School student faces 19 criminal counts after authorities said he brought chemicals from home and mixed them inside the Portland school Sept. 8, releasing toxic gases that endangered students and staff.
"Safety in our schools is not something that can be negotiated," Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez said during an Oct. 2 news conference.
"That violence or the threat of violence in a school… it doesn't just stay in that building. It follows families home. It sits at the dinner table with them."
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Investigators uncovered "concerning behaviors and statements" before the incident, including an interest in hazardous chemicals, explosives and violence, Portland Police Bureau Public Information Manager Mike Benner said.
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The teenager, whose name has not been released because of his age, faces 10 counts of attempted aggravated murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, one count of attempted second-degree murder, one count of first-degree domestic terrorism and one count of second-degree domestic terrorism.
Additional charges include unlawfully manufacturing and possessing a destructive device, possessing a weapon in a public building, unlawfully using a weapon and recklessly endangering another person.
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The teen’s lawyers denied the allegations and said he is receiving treatment at an inpatient mental health facility, The New York Times reported.
Vasquez said his office would seek to move the case from juvenile court to adult court, emphasizing the safety of the students and staff.
"And I want to be clear, they're teenagers, but these are children, and they deserve a safe environment," he said.
But the prosecutor sharply criticized what he called a broader failing of Oregon’s juvenile system, which ends its oversight at age 25 even if the person still poses a danger to the public.
"I think that that is wrong," Vasquez said, arguing that the cutoff fails to account for the danger someone convicted of multiple killings or domestic terrorism could still present.
"I'm looking at conduct and how dangerous that is and what I consider to be safe for the community going forward," he said.
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The chemical incident unfolded shortly before 8:30 a.m. while numerous students and staff were near the teenager, Assistant Chief of Investigations Franz Schoening said.
Teachers and administrators moved students away as the school nurse began treating the teen before first responders arrived. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition but survived.
"Those first few moments were critical in preventing further harm and lives being lost," Schoening said.
More than 100 students and staff were assessed after evacuating, and at least seven required medical care following the incident, he said.
Sgt. Jim DeFrain, who supervises the investigation and the Metropolitan Explosive Disposal Unit, said initial testing indicated the presence of hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas.
An Oregon National Guard team agreed with that assessment. Samples were sent to an FBI laboratory for further testing, with results still pending at the time of the briefing, DeFrain said.
The FBI was also examining electronic equipment seized during searches.
Vasquez said the investigation remained open and that anyone else found to have criminal involvement could face charges.
"If we determine or find any links, if there are people that can be charged, this office will charge them," he said.