Deschutes County DA reviewing Mtn. View HS bomb threat

Authorities continue to gather information in the case of the 14-year-old Eugene boy who authorities say sent a bomb threat to Mountain View High School.

Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel said Wednesday which county the teen will be prosecuted in will likely be decided quickly.

“We want to make sure this kid knows this is serious,” he said. “I would guess in the next day or two we’ll be deciding what county we’ll be prosecuting it in, and the case will be filed.”

He said it is a collaborative effort among himself, the Lane County district attorney and the juvenile departments in both counties But based on similar cases, teens usually face punishment where they live.

“In juvenile cases, we want to make sure the youth gets appropriate services,” Hummel said. “Appropriate mental health counseling, medical counseling, community service should be done, (but we don’t want them to) have to be out of school. If we had to bring him out to Deschutes County to do that, it would disrupt his education.”

While Hummel said this teen needs to learn this is a serious crime, he doesn’t believe handing down the most severe punishment possible will work.

“We would lock him up for 20 years — then I guarantee we’ll have a criminal for life. We can slap him on the wrist, and I guarantee we’ll have a criminal for life,” he said. “We have to find the sweet spot where we get his attention, give him services. If we do it right, we’ll never see him again in the criminal justice system.”

Hummel said it’s still to early too know how this will play out. Once all the information of the investigation is gathered, authorities will consider factors such as past behavior to decide on a punishment.