Portland DA Seeks to Try 15-Year-Old as Adult Over Alleged Chemical Attack at Benson High
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office is seeking to try a 15-year-old Portland student as an adult, DA Nathan Vasquez told a press conference on Friday.
The Teenager Faces 19 Charges Including Attempted Murder and Domestic Terrorism
The teenager is facing 19 charges, including attempted murder and domestic terrorism, after an alleged chemical attack at Benson Polytechnic High School on September 8, 2026.
The incident occurred at 8.30 a.m. when Portland Fire & Rescue and police officers responded to a report of a medical emergency in the school cafeteria.
On arrival, the respondents found staff tending to a male teenage student who was in distress after inhaling fumes from a chemical mixture he had concocted. The boy was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.
Duty officers Evacuated the School Premises
Duty officers evacuated the school premises, and staff and students congregated at a nearby athletics field.
Portland Police Bureau and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office investigated. They conducted numerous interviews and reviewed surveillance footage and social media accounts.
Investigators obtained search warrants and seized electronic devices.
The Boy Passed Out In a Cloud of Chemical Fumes
Deputy District Attorney Eric Zimmerman told the court on Friday that the teenager passed out in a cloud of chemical fumes. Zimmerman said the boy arrived at school with the chemicals.
He was wearing gloves and goggles, and had attempted to make hydrogen sulfide. Several students and members of staff suffered headaches and breathing difficulties after the incident.
Juvenile Hearings Referee Kristine Almquist said the student would receive mental health treatment at the Parry Center for Children in Portland. Zimmerman will oppose the decision before a judge this coming Tuesday.