Four teenagers from Seattle have been arrested in connection with a week-long series of violent crimes in Portland, Oregon, including armed robberies and a shooting that left a gas station clerk critically injured. The arrests were made Friday, July 17, following a multi-day manhunt for the individuals, who are all juveniles.
Portland police linked the four suspects to a carjacking that occurred early Tuesday morning, July 14. According to a police statement, multiple armed suspects approached a rideshare driver, robbed him at gunpoint, and fled in his vehicle. The driver sustained minor injuries.
Later that day, police responded to a report of menacing with a handgun. A victim stated that he interrupted a group attempting to break into his vehicle. The group reportedly commandeered another car, pointing firearms at the victim as they fled. That evening, another armed robbery at a gas station occurred where an employee was struck in the head with a pistol.
The spree culminated in the early morning hours of Friday, July 17, at a 76 gas station. Police reported that masked suspects entered the business and a struggle ensued with the clerk, who was shot five times in the abdomen and once in the leg. Officers arrived within minutes, and the clerk was transported to a hospital in critical condition. He underwent extensive surgery and is reportedly recovering.
During a SWAT search of a Northeast Portland home, authorities uncovered a significant cache of weapons allegedly connected to the group. These included four firearms that had been illegally modified with conversion devices, commonly known as switches, which enable semi-automatic weapons to fire at a much faster rate. Images released by the Portland Police Bureau showed pistols with extended magazines alongside weapons investigators believe were illegally modified. Authorities have not disclosed how the teenagers obtained the firearms or the conversion devices.
The four suspects, two 17-year-old boys, a 15-year-old boy, and a 16-year-old boy, were arrested during a house raid. Due to their juvenile status, their identities have not been released. Charges filed include second-degree attempted murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree assault, and unlawful use of a weapon.
Sgt. Kevin Allen, a spokesperson for the Portland Police, stated that while three of the teenagers were directly tied to the final gas station shooting, all four were connected to an earlier gas station robbery on July 14, as well as the carjacking and the menacing incident. Allen indicated that investigators are working to determine a motive for the crimes and the suspects' connection to Portland.
The case has highlighted concerns regarding the presence of illegally modified firearms in criminal activity, particularly involving young suspects. Police have warned that conversion devices can dramatically increase a firearm's rate of fire, posing a significant danger.