A teenager is accused of shooting into a car last month in northeast Salem, hitting an adult in the head.

Now, prosecutors are charging the teenager, 15, with second-degree attempted murder, first- and second-degree assault, unlawful possession of a firearm and use of a dangerous weapon, according to Troy Gregg, director of Marion County’s juvenile department.

Detectives arrested the teenager April 7, one month after the incident, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

Salem Reporter generally does not identify minors accused of crimes. Juvenile court records are typically not publicly available.

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The sheriff’s office announced the arrest in a social media post on Friday, April 10, several days after detectives arrested the teenager.

On March 9, at around 4:40 p.m., county deputies responded to a shooting in the 4200 block of Northeast Satter Place, which is near Chemeketa Community College, the sheriff’s office said in its post.

After arriving on scene, deputies found an adult with an apparent gunshot wound in their head. The victim was taken to a hospital for medical treatment.

Deputies recovered a firearm close to the scene, along with shell casings. Detectives used nearby surveillance footage to identify a juvenile suspect who was “believed to have fired multiple rounds at an occupied vehicle,” the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.

The 15-year-old was taken into custody last week and is still lodged at the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center. 

Gregg also confirmed that the teenager was adjudicated last October for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and was placed on local probation. Adjudication is the juvenile equivalent of a criminal conviction.

He said he didn’t have additional information about the circumstances of the shooting.

Fewer local youth are facing weapons charges so far in 2026 compared to last year, juvenile department data shows. That comes after local leaders several years ago raised concerns about more youth involved in shootings and set about trying to reduce violence in the community.

In the first three months of 2026, 21 weapons charges have been filed against Marion County youth, data Gregg provided shows. That’s down from 41 weapons charges between last July and September, and 36 from October to December 2025.

Of the 21 weapons charges this year, eight were firearm-related.

Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected].