Portland teen arrested after fire at own home, faces attempted murder

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A 15-year-old boy is accused of attempted murder and arson after police say he significantly damaged his family’s Northwest Portland house with a hammer, then set fire to the home’s garage Friday afternoon.

Just after 3 p.m., officers responded to a home in the 1700 block of Northwest Potters Court on reports that a teenager experiencing a mental health crisis was damaging his family’s home with a hammer.

The boy’s family had evacuated and were uninjured, police said.

PPB’s Enhanced Crisis Intervention Team (ECIT) also responded and attempted to communicate with the boy, but officials said he would not surrender. After trying to get the boy to cooperate for an hour and a half, officers disengaged but made a plan with the family to follow up later.

As officers and family were leaving the area, police said the teen was seen leaving the home towards a nearby trail. Officers then noticed the home’s garage was set on fire, prompting response from Portland Fire & Rescue crews.

Meanwhile, officers worked to follow the teen from a distance, while bringing in an Air Support Unit and a K9 unit.

After following the boy for over a mile in nearly 100-degree heat, police said they convinced him to surrender and he was taken into custody.

While crews were able to put out the garage fire, officials said the family’s home was heavily damaged.

Police said the boy was first taken to a hospital for self-inflicted injuries, then later taken to the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention facility.

He was charged with second-degree attempted murder (three counts) and first-degree arson.