GRESHAM, Ore. (KOIN) — Two teenagers armed with a gun tried to steal a car in Gresham just before midnight Saturday night, ran off when the car’s owner interrupted them, then came back and threatened her with a gun, Gresham police said.
The teens, aged 15 and 14, targeted the Kia in the 1900 block of NW Florence Avenue, then ran off when the woman approached.
The Gresham mother, who asked to remain anonymous, told KOIN 6 News she first noticed something was wrong when she heard the alarm and saw the door on her family’s Kia wide open.
But they came back for something they left behind, the woman said.
“Two boys, they come walking down the street, hoods on, covered, masks on. ‘Hey, you seen a phone?’ Casual as can be. I said, ‘Yeah, where you left it when you were trying to steal the car. It’s still in the front seat.’”
That’s when, she said, one of the teens became agitated and pulled a gun, threatening to shoot her if she didn’t give back the phone.
“One was just kind of like, ‘Let’s get out of here. Just, let’s go,’ and the other one was just, ‘Give me the phone now,’ and he was willing to shoot me in my face to get this phone,” she told KOIN 6 News.
“He pointed the gun at me, straight in my face, and I’m screaming at the top of my lungs, ‘Help me! Help me!’ as loud as I can. Luckily, my neighbors came out and one man chased them for a second and then two shots were fired towards the back, and then they took off running.”
She said the police arrived shortly with drones and dogs to capture the youths. Authorities said they also recovered the gun.
The 14-year-old was released to a parent. It’s not clear at this time if charges are pending.
A gun and bullets were recovered after 2 teens were detained following an attempted carjacking in Gresham, September 24, 2023 (KOIN) 
Bullets were recovered after 2 teens were detained following an attempted carjacking in Gresham, September 24, 2023 (KOIN) 
The back window of this car was broken by 2 teens accused of being armed while trying to steal it in Gresham, September 24, 2023 (KOIN) 
2 teens were taken into custody following an attempted carjacking in Gresham, September 24, 2023 (KOIN) 
A gun and bullets were recovered after 2 teens were detained following an attempted carjacking in Gresham, September 24, 2023 (KOIN) 
This cell phone was left behind by 2 teenage would-be carjackers in Gresham, September 24, 2023 (KOIN)
The 15-year-old was booked into the Donald E. Long Juvenile Facility on 5 charges: menacing, criminal mischief, unauthorized use of a vehicle, unlawful entry into a vehicle and unlawful use of a weapon.
As a mother herself, the victim said she hopes to see more support for these teens and others, as well.
“It’s terrifying to think these kids are being able to be groomed by these older people to commit their crimes and to do all this stuff,” she said. “I have kids of my own, I have a 12-year-old and I’m terrified that this is going to happen to her.”
