Oregon teen arrested over foiled mass shooting plot at Washington state mall

A teen in Oregon has been arrested in connection with a detailed plot to carry out a mass shooting and bombing at a shopping mall in Washington, according to authorities.

According to a Thursday press release from the FBI’s Portland Field Office, the suspect was taken into custody by Columbia County Sheriff’s deputies on the morning of May 22—the same day the attack was allegedly planned to take place at the Three Rivers Mall in Kelso, Washington.

The teen, whose identity is being withheld due to their age, had planned to use an improvised explosive device—specifically, a chlorine bomb—to trigger panic inside the mall, followed by a mass shooting of moviegoers fleeing the scene. The suspect intended to end the attack by committing suicide at a pre-determined location within the mall.

The FBI said the plot was first reported on May 19, when the bureau received information about a credible and imminent threat. Agents launched an investigation to identify the source of the threat, which led them to the juvenile suspect the following day. The teen had allegedly shared the plan and maps of the mall in online chats, expressing violent extremist and nihilistic ideology.

Due to the seriousness of the threat, the FBI placed the suspect under court-authorized surveillance while preparing a federal search warrant. The warrant was executed just before the arrest on May 22.

Authorities said the suspect had “the intent and means” to carry out the attack, including a detailed map of the mall, a step-by-step plan of the assault, and specific targets.

“This plot was as serious as it gets,” said FBI Portland Special Agent Doug Olson. “We, along with our partners, moved swiftly to interrupt this violent plan and to protect our community.”

While the FBI initially made contact with the suspect, the arrest was carried out by local law enforcement on state charges. The investigation remains ongoing.