Teen Charged With Domestic Terrorism After School Cafeteria Chemical Mix

A fifteen-year-old boy now faces domestic terrorism charges after mixing chemicals in the school cafeteria and nearly killing himself. The Benson Polytechnic High School student has not been publicly identified yet he was charged with a long list of crimes on Friday. This includes ten counts of attempted aggravated murder and one count each of first- and second-degree domestic terrorism.

The trouble started during an incident on September 8 when the teenager mixed chemicals he brought from home right inside the cafeteria. He suffered a medical emergency after inhaling toxic fumes and was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, according to police reports. His lawyer, Noah Horst, told The New York Times that the boy remains in inpatient care at a mental health facility receiving appropriate and necessary treatment.

The charges stem from conduct investigators say posed a real danger to the school community. Mike Benner, the public information manager for the Portland Police Bureau, stated these accusations reflect the seriousness of what happened. Assistant Chief Franz Schoening added that many students and staff were put at risk during the chaos. More than one hundred people received exams afterward while seven individuals including the charged student needed medical attention.

Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez is trying to move this juvenile case to adult court because students saw frightening things where they should feel safe. State law defines releasing toxic substances with widespread contact as domestic terrorism which clarifies the severity of the situation. It was believed at first that hydrogen sulfide was involved but the exact mixture has not been officially determined yet. Portland Police Sergeant Jim DeFrain confirmed the sample is being tested at an FBI lab while a school nurse rushed to administer lifesaving efforts including CPR around 8:30am.

Benner noted the teen had been displaying concerning behavior before releasing the chemicals in the first place. Students told KATU 2 they noticed a chemical smell during the commotion and described catching a whiff of something like methane or sulfuric gas as Logan Arroyo put it. The boy appeared in court on Friday where his lawyers denied all allegations against him immediately.

Assistant Chief Franz Schoening warned that many students and staff faced real risk during the incident. Peter, a student who spoke with reporters, explained how panic set in immediately after the alarms started blaring. Classmates began frantically asking each other to use their phones to reach parents, according to reports from the outlet. One teenager recalled the initial confusion perfectly. 'I think most of us thought there would just be a quick lockdown and then we'd all go back to our usual business,' he said. That calm assumption lasted only until about 15 minutes later, when the actual evacuation order finally came down.

Everyone was moved out to Buckman Field Park. Students were told they should head home to their families for the rest of that day. A hazardous materials team arrived on the scene quickly. They worked to neutralize the liquid sitting on the cafeteria floor. Their goal was clear: prevent any further health concerns and stop off-gassing, Portland Fire stated. The Daily Mail has reached out to the teen's lawyer seeking comment on these events.