Portland Police Make Arrest in Benson HS Shooting

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - On Sunday Portland Police officers arrested a 14-year-old boy in connection with the last week's shooting at Benson High School.

The investigation into the shooting began on Thursday when Portland Police officers responded to the report of a shooting at Benson High School, located at 546 Northeast 12th Avenue. As officers responded, school security immediately placed the school on lock-down. A volleyball game between Benson and Jefferson was occurring in the gym and Portland Night High School was holding classes for dozens of students.

As officers arrived, the initial information they received was that the shooting occurred inside the school and that the suspect or suspects may still be inside. Officers entered the school and began a methodical search for the shooting suspects but then learned that the shooting may have occurred outside the school on the front steps. Officers checked the front steps of the school and located evidence that shots had been fired.

Additional witness information was received that the suspects were last seen running north on Northeast 12th Avenue towards the Lloyd Center MAX platform. Additional officers responded to the area to conduct a search of the neighborhood for the suspects. No suspects were located and there were no reported injuries.

Detectives from the Gang Enforcement Team responded and began interviewing witnesses and located the intended victim, a 15-year-old boy who attends Benson High School.

Based on information developed through the investigation, probable cause to arrest a 14-year-old male was developed and in the late afternoon of Sunday October 24, 2010, the suspect was spotted in the area the St. John's Woods Apartments in North Portland and was taken into custody.

A second person, a 15-year-old male, was contacted during the arrest and was also taken into custody for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Possession of a Short-Barreled Rifle after officers located a sawed-off rifle stuffed inside his pants and located the magazine for the rifle in the pocket of the 14-year-old shooting suspect. Both suspects are brothers and suspected Crip gang associates.

Detectives learned through the investigation that the 14-year-old and his 15-year-old brother went to Benson High School on Thursday October 21 to watch the Benson versus Jefferson volleyball game and encountered the 15-year-old intended victim. The suspect confronted the victim about his believed gang affiliation and then shot at him on the front steps of Benson High School.

The victim ran into the school and the suspects ran towards the Lloyd Center MAX platform. Several students from Portland Night High School were out front when the shot was fired.

Detectives do not believe that the intended victim has any gang affiliation at all.

The 14-year-old shooting suspect was charged with Attempted Murder, Attempted Assault in the First Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. Due to his age, he is not eligible to be prosecuted as a Ballot Measure 11 and will remain in Juvenile Court.

Anyone with additional information on this case is urged to call Detective Anthony Merrill at (503) 823-2092, reference Portland Police Bureau Case #10-88460.