--- alias: - Benson Polytechnic High School Incident - Benson High School Incident - Benson High School Chemical Incident - Benson Polytechnic Chemical Incident - 2026 Benson Polytechnic High School Chemical Incident - Benson Poly Chemical Spill category: Terrorism created: 2026-10-04 date: 2026-09-08 location: Portland, Oregon relations: - fn: 1 role: case number 26-262949; detectives, with the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, interviewed witnesses, reviewed surveillance footage and social media accounts, executed search warrants and seized electronic devices start: 2026-09-08 type: investigated_by with: '[[Portland Police Bureau]]' - fn: 2 role: juvenile petition of 19 counts; Deputy District Attorney Eric Zimmerman argued at the initial appearance; District Attorney Nathan Vasquez stated the office would seek to try the defendant as an adult start: 2026-10-02 type: prosecuted_by with: '[[Multnomah County District Attorney''s Office]]' - fn: 6 role: described by Zimmerman in court as reviewing seized papers, hard drives and computers, including what he called extensive references to 764; review described as ongoing start: 2026-10-02 type: investigated_by with: '[[Federal Bureau of Investigation]]' - fn: 3 role: first responders; evacuation and triage of students and staff on the athletic fields; hazardous materials crew neutralized the spilled mixture start: 2026-09-08 type: responded_to_by with: '[[Portland Fire & Rescue]]' - fn: 4 role: examined the materials; supervisor Jim DeFrain gave remarks at the September 9 press conference; samples collected and sent to Salem for testing start: 2026-09-08 type: responded_to_by with: '[[Metropolitan Explosive Disposal Unit]]' - fn: 6 role: references to 764 stated by Zimmerman in open court; the Portland Police Bureau release listing the charges does not mention 764 start: 2026-10-02 type: referenced_in with: '[[764 Network]]' summary: A 15-year-old student mixed chemicals in the Benson Polytechnic High School cafeteria on September 8, 2026; charged October 2 with 19 counts including domestic terrorism, with a prosecutor citing FBI-found references to 764. tags: - Event - DomesticTerrorism - SchoolIncident - Oregon - Portland - ChemicalRelease - 764 - JuvenileCase - USA updated: 2026-10-04 --- On September 8, 2026, a 15-year-old student at Benson Polytechnic High School, a Portland Public Schools campus in the Kerns neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, mixed chemicals in the school cafeteria and inhaled the resulting gases. On October 2, 2026 the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office charged him in juvenile court with 19 counts, including [domestic terrorism](/concepts/oregon-domestic-terrorism-statute/) in the first and second degrees. At the initial appearance, Deputy District Attorney Eric Zimmerman told the court that the [Federal Bureau of Investigation](/organizations/federal-bureau-of-investigation/) had found numerous references to [764](/organizations/764-network/) on the defendant's devices that morning. The Portland Police Bureau did not identify him because of his age, and his attorneys denied all allegations.[^1][^2] ### September 8: First Release At about 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 8, Portland Fire & Rescue personnel, followed by Portland Police Bureau officers, responded to Benson Polytechnic High School "following a report of a student experiencing a medical emergency." School staff were tending to a 15-year-old male student in the cafeteria area. The Bureau's first release that day stated that "authorities believe the student mixed numerous chemicals that he brought to the school from home and subsequently ingested the mixture. The exact nature of the substances involved remains under investigation."[^3] The school was evacuated and students were moved to surrounding athletic fields. The release stated that while Portland Fire & Rescue personnel "worked to safely neutralize the mixed chemicals in the cafeteria, others assessed more than 100 evacuated students, staff members, and faculty. No additional patients required transport to a hospital, although two staff members went via private vehicle out of an abundance of caution." The Metropolitan Explosive Disposal Unit examined the materials, and members of the Bureau's Homicide Unit responded "as a precaution to determine whether there is any potential criminal nexus to the incident."[^3] ### September 9: Second Release and Press Conference The Bureau's second release stated that detectives believed the student "suffered a medical emergency after mixing chemicals and inhaling the gasses produced by the mixture, not drinking the concoction as originally reported." It stated that he received "life-saving care from school staff" and was taken to a hospital in critical condition, and that he was expected to survive. The investigation by then included "numerous interviews, follow-up on tips, review of surveillance footage and social media accounts, execution of search warrants and seizure of electronic devices." The release stated that "investigators believe the student acted alone and there is no ongoing threat to the school community or public."[^1] At a press conference on Wednesday, September 9, Police Chief Bob Day said investigators had seized multiple electronic devices and were reviewing evidence posted online involving "numerous students, multiple phones, and multiple social platforms." He said that as of that morning there was still no clarity, as OPB reported it, on whether the student intended to harm only himself or others as well. Portland Public Schools Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong said staff members performed CPR and used an automated external defibrillator before responders arrived.[^4] Portland Fire & Rescue Chief Lauren Johnson said the exact contents and combination of the mixture were still unknown to fire investigators, and that smelling the odor did not mean people had inhaled enough to become sick. Fire spokesperson Rick Graves said up to 200 students and staff members were evaluated on the athletic fields and that no other people were injured or sickened as a result of the incident. Jim DeFrain, supervisor of the Metropolitan Explosive Disposal Unit, said the mixture was likely made from common household products: "There was not some sort of nefarious chemistry going on here. This is pretty common stuff that just gets mixed together and can off-gas in a way that can make you very sick." DeFrain's unit collected samples in the building and sent them to Salem for testing. Classes were canceled September 8 and 9 and were expected to resume September 10.[^4] ### The Bureau's Wording Across Versions The three versions of the release, as they now appear stacked on a single page, describe the student's act as follows. - September 8: the student "subsequently ingested the mixture"; detectives were pursuing "what led to the student ingesting them." - September 9: the student suffered a medical emergency "after mixing chemicals and inhaling the gasses produced by the mixture, not drinking the concoction as originally reported." - October 2: the student was "in significant distress after mixing chemicals he had brought from home and inhaling the gasses produced by the mixture." The first release described the matter as a medical emergency with a possible criminal nexus. The October 2 version, headed "UPDATE: Teen Criminally Charged with Attempted Murder, Terrorism Following September Incident at Benson HS," states that the student "is not being identified due to his age."[^1] ### October 2: Charges The updated release of 4:28 p.m. on October 2 lists the following charges, under case number 26-262949:[^1] - Attempted Aggravated Murder (10 counts) - Attempted Murder in the First Degree - Attempted Murder in the Second Degree - Domestic Terrorism in the First Degree - Domestic Terrorism in the Second Degree - Unlawful Manufacturing of a Destructive Device - Unlawful Possession of a Destructive Device - Possession of a Weapon in a Public Building - Unlawful Use of a Weapon - Recklessly Endangering Another Person A Multnomah County Circuit Court spokesperson told OPB the total was 19 charges.[^2] KATU's list of the same charges describes the second terrorism count as "second-degree attempted terrorism."[^5] The release states: "PPB and partners spoke about the case at a news conference on October 2, 2026." The release does not mention 764.[^1] ### October 2: Initial Appearance The student appeared at the Multnomah County Juvenile Justice Center. Juvenile Hearings Referee Kristine Almquist ordered him released to a mental health treatment program in Portland where, OPB reported, he had been receiving treatment. KPTV reported the order as release to the student's father, with the expectation that he return immediately to the program, and reported that the judge set another hearing in about six weeks to decide future custody status. KATU reported that the court ordered him returned to a hospital for treatment, with no contact allowed with victims. The state had asked that he be held at the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Facility.[^2][^6][^5] Defense counsel submitted letters from two psychiatrists recommending continued psychiatric care, and KPTV reported the defense stating that the student has no prior court history. In a written statement the student's attorneys said he is "receiving appropriate and necessary mental health treatment," that "the family is grateful that no one else was injured and for the swift intervention of school staff and first responders," and that the family asked for privacy.[^2][^6][^7] Zimmerman requested reconsideration of the referee's decision before a circuit court judge. KPTV reported the rehearing as scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 1:45 p.m.[^2][^6] District Attorney Nathan Vasquez said at a press conference that his office would seek to try the student as an adult. KATU quoted him: "I'm looking at conduct and how dangerous that is and what I consider to be safe for the community," adding that he was weighing "the safety of, is it 50? Is it 100? Is it 500 children at a school?"[^2][^5] ### Statements Made in Court on October 2 The hearing, KPTV reported, "focused on where the teen should stay while the case moves forward, not on the facts of the allegations." Statements below were made by Zimmerman as reported by the named outlets; none is a finding. On the substance, KPTV reported Zimmerman as saying "investigators identified the mix as hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen cyanide." KOIN reported the prosecution identifying "a number of the chemicals used" and saying "the most dangerous among them were hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen cyanide." OPB reported that Zimmerman said the student "attempted to make hydrogen sulfide," that multiple staff members and students reported trouble breathing and headaches, and that the student arrived wearing gloves and goggles. KPTV reported surveillance video showing the student "arriving in gloves and dark clothing and pouring chemicals from a white jug."[^2][^8][^6][^7] On injuries, KPTV reported Zimmerman saying that at least seven students and staff needed medical care, that more than 100 people were checked at the school, and that investigators believed more people could have been harmed.[^6] On the search of the student's home and online activity, KPTV reported Zimmerman describing "many dangerous chemicals and reactive substances, including materials that can be used in thermite-type mixtures," and social media posts about making acetone peroxide, along with posts referencing a "kill/death ratio" and "language about self-harm and wanting to cause death to himself and others." OPB reported that Zimmerman said the student "had written extensively on social media about feelings of suicide and his desire to hurt fellow students." KATU reported the prosecution describing posts showing "a fascination with explosives."[^2][^6][^5] On 764, the outlets reported the following. - KPTV: "Zimmerman said the FBI is reviewing seized papers, hard drives and computers found Friday morning, including what he described as extensive references to '764,' a violent extremist group. He said the review is ongoing."[^6] - OPB: "on Friday morning, officials with the FBI had found numerous references on the student's devices to 764, an extremist group that officials say works to exploit minors online into committing violent crimes."[^2] - KOIN: "a search of the student's device revealed he wrote about hurting himself and others, as well as references to a violent extremist group known as 764."[^7] - KATU: the FBI "found references to the violent online network known as '764' and numerous searches about harming others on devices." The same report states: "The references described in court do not, by themselves, establish that the teenager was a member of 764." It adds that all 56 FBI field offices, including Portland, are involved in investigations into these violent online networks.[^8] None of these reports ties the references to [The Com](/organizations/the-com/), [No Lives Matter](/organizations/no-lives-matter/), [Maniac Murder Cult](/organizations/maniac-murder-cult/) or any named 764 member or cell. ### Side by Side: September 9 and October 2 | Subject | September 9 | October 2 | |---|---|---| | Contents of the mixture | Chief Johnson: exact contents and combination "still unknown to fire investigators"; DeFrain: "likely made from common household products" | Zimmerman, per KPTV and KOIN: hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen cyanide; per OPB: the student "attempted to make hydrogen sulfide" | | Persons affected | Graves: up to 200 evaluated, no other people injured or sickened; Bureau release of September 8: no additional hospital transport, two staff members left by private vehicle | Zimmerman, per KPTV: at least seven students and staff needed medical care, more than 100 checked | | Intent | Chief Day: no clarity whether the student meant to harm only himself or others | Charges include 12 counts of attempted murder or attempted aggravated murder; Zimmerman, per OPB: posts about "his desire to hurt fellow students" | ### Open Items The rehearing before a circuit court judge was scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 1:45 p.m.[^6] A custody review was set for about six weeks after October 2.[^6] [^1]: Portland Police Bureau, "UPDATE: Teen Criminally Charged with Attempted Murder, Terrorism Following September Incident at Benson HS" (published September 8, 2026, 1:54 p.m.; updated October 2, 2026, 4:28 p.m.; contains the September 8 and September 9 releases), https://www.portland.gov/police/news/2026/9/8/update-teen-criminally-charged-attempted-murder-terrorism-following-september [^2]: Joni Auden Land, "Benson High School student faces domestic terrorism charges in chemical spill incident," OPB, October 2, 2026 (updated October 3, 2026), https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/02/benson-high-school-student-chemical-charges-oregon/ [^3]: Portland Police Bureau, same page, "PPB, PF&R Respond to Incident at Benson High School," September 8, 2026. [^4]: OPB staff, "Student involved in chemical spill at Benson High School expected to survive, police say," OPB, September 9, 2026, https://www.opb.org/article/2026/09/09/police-student-involved-in-chemical-spill-at-benson-high-school-expected-to-survive/ [^5]: "Student faces domestic terrorism charge for chemical incident," KATU, October 2026, https://katu.com/news/local/student-faces-domestic-terrorism-charge-for-chemical-incident-hazmat-benson-polytechnic-high-school-portland-oregon-judicial-department-investigation [^6]: "Portland teen faces domestic terrorism charge," KPTV, October 2, 2026, https://www.kptv.com/2026/10/02/portland-teen-faces-domestic-terrorism-charge/ [^7]: MacKenzie Belley, Joelle Jones and Ariel Iacobazzi, "Benson student faces attempted murder, domestic terrorism charges after hazmat incident," KOIN, October 2, 2026, https://www.koin.com/news/portland/benson-polytechnic-student-domestic-terrorism-charge-hazmat-incident-court/ [^8]: Victor Park, "Benson High School case raises alarm over '764' online network targeting children," KATU, October 2026, https://katu.com/news/local/portland-benson-high-school-case-raises-alarm-over-764-online-network-targeting-children-social-media-fbi-portland-police-bureau-multnomah-county-portland-fire-rescue