Jason Paul Schaefer, Homemade Bomb Attack, Oregon 2017

Beaverton man Jason Paul Schaefer, 27, was convicted by a federal jury Wednesday for blowing up a homemade bomb in a failed attempt to kill two federal officers during a 2017 raid on his apartment. Schaefer detonated an improvised explosive device packed with triacetone triperoxide (TATP) after fleeing the scene, targeting officers from the Portland Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) who were executing a search warrant.

After a six-day trial in Portland, the jury found Schaefer guilty on multiple counts, including two counts of assaulting a federal officer, carrying and using a destructive device during a crime of violence, unlawful transport of explosives, possession of an unregistered destructive device, and being a felon in possession of explosives. The charges stem from events of October 11, 2017, when federal agents arrived at Schaefer’s Beaverton apartment following a trail of bomb-making materials and prior threats.

According to court evidence, Schaefer had previously drawn federal attention in April 2017 after threatening to kill his landlords and using mercury to barricade his rented garage. He was arrested then for illegal possession of body armor. By September 21, 2017, investigators confirmed he had purchased multiple components used to manufacture explosive devices, leading to the search warrant.

On the day of the incident, Schaefer arrived at his apartment to meet with his probation officer, only to find two federal agents already onsite. He claimed no booby traps were present—then left in a white SUV. Agents lost sight of him temporarily, but soon found explosive precursors and electronic detonators inside his home. When Schaefer returned and confronted a task force officer, he fled again—this time pursued on foot by two officers after his vehicle stalled in traffic.

As officers approached, Schaefer refused to exit the vehicle, threatened to kill them, and ignited the TATP-laced device hidden in a cigarette pack. The blast caused significant injury to both Schaefer and one responding officer. Investigators later determined the bomb was designed to maim or kill.

“We are extremely fortunate that Mr. Schaefer did not succeed in his attempt to take the lives of two JTTF officers,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Law enforcement leaders from the FBI, Oregon State Police, and Washington County Sheriff’s Office praised interagency cooperation and called the verdict a vital win for public safety. Sentencing is scheduled for a later date.