A 15-year-old boy faces attempted murder and arson charges after allegedly threatening his family and setting their home ablaze in northwest Portland on Friday, according to the Portland Police Bureau. He has been charged with three counts of second-degree attempted murder and first-degree arson.
Around 3 p.m., officers responded to a residence in the Northwest Heights Neighborhood following reports from the family that their teenage son was experiencing a mental health crisis and causing “significant damage” to their home with a hammer.
Upon arrival, police found that the other family members were safely outside and unharmed. Officers then deployed a crisis negotiation team to establish contact with the boy. After an hour and a half of attempts to persuade him to cooperate, the police decided to withdraw and revisit the situation later.
As officers were leaving the area, the boy exited the home and headed toward a trail behind the house. Shortly thereafter, police noticed that the garage of the house was on fire. While firefighters were dispatched to the scene, officers tracked the boy from a distance using a drone and a police dog. After walking approximately a mile in extreme heat, the boy surrendered to officers without incident.
Initially, the boy was taken to the hospital for treatment of self-inflicted injuries sustained during the earlier disturbance. He was then placed in the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention facility. Fire crews managed to prevent the flames from spreading to adjacent homes, but the house sustained significant damage.
