Three teenagers in Portland, Ore., have been charged as adults in a shocking crime that rocked the community and left a 16-year-old with a swastika carved into his forehead.
The suspects — Jenna Montgomery, 15, Blue Christian Kalmbach, 15, and Jess Taylor, 17 — were charged with kidnapping, robbery, assault and menacing, CNN reported. They were each given bail of nearly $3 million. A fourth suspect, a 14-year-old, will be tried as a juvenile.
The teens, who all attend David Douglas High School, are accused of enticing one of their classmates, Dustyn Murrain, into a shed, where they allegedly hit him on the head with a crowbar, CNN reported.
They they then allegedly shot him with a BB gun and used a box cutter to carve a swastika into his forehead, the report said.
“There is no understanding what they did,” said Kelli Murrain, the victim’s mother, to CNN affiliate KPTV. “Roll it around in your head and you just go, ’Oh my God.’ For the grace of God, I could have lost my youngest son.”
The suspects also allegedly stole Dustyn’s skateboard and money, CNN reported.
The incident occurred on Feb. 10, but the teens were just formally charged in court this week. It’s not clear if the scar on Dustyn’s forehead will fully heal.
“He’s been severely traumatized, not just physically but emotionally,” Ms. Murrain said, in CNN. “It’s something he’s gonna live with forever, especially if the scar … doesn’t go away. Every time he looks in the mirror, he’s going to have that memory.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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