Police fire tear gas at teens during MacLaren lockdown

Several male youths, who barricaded themselves inside a living unit at MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Woodburn Monday, were taken to a local hospital after tear gas was used to break up the group.

CJ Drake, Deputy Communications Manager for Oregon Youth Authority, said the incident began around 8 p.m. when a group of five minors and one adult trapped themselves inside of a room and refused to come out.

Oregon State Police spokesman Lt. Bill Fugate said the incident started when one male kicked a staff member and several others began rioting. The staff member then backed out of the area and it was locked down.

The assault took place in a high-security area of the facility, Fugate said.

Once the area was locked down, the group of incarcerated youths began ripping holes in the walls and breaking water pipes, Fugate said.

"There was extensive damage to the facility," Fugate said. "They were destroying anything they could get their hands on."

Oregon Youth Authority staff attempted to negotiate with the group but were unsuccessful, Drake said.

Details of how the youths had blocked themselves in the room have not yet been provided. According to the Oregon Youth Authority website, MacLaren houses the state's most delinquent youth offenders ages 12 to 24, for crimes committed prior to turning 18.

Crimes include murder, rape, arson, robbery, substance abuse and other violent crimes.

According to Drake, OSP arrived sometime after 8 p.m. Part of OSP's SWAT team responded to negotiate with the group. The Woodburn Police Department and Hubbard Police Department also responded.

"We attempted to negotiate for quite a while and they still wouldn't come out," Fugate said. "We also determined that they had broken into an area that housed prescription meds and were likely ingesting that medication so a non-lethal action was taken."

Around midnight OSP dispersed CS gas, a form of tear gas, into the area.

"They continued to refuse to come out and OSP removed them from the space around midnight," Drake said.

One minor was taken to Oregon Heath and Science University in Portland for a drug overdose. Five others were taken to Salem Hospital where they were treated and released.

Willie Waller, 18, was the one adult involved. He was taken to the Marion County jail on charges of rioting, criminal mischief, aggravated harassment and assault, according to Fugate.

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