Detectives say weeks of follow-up led to the capture of a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old in connection with the fatal shooting of Santi Ram Rai.
PORTLAND, Ore. — Two juveniles were arrested in Vancouver on Wednesday in the killing of convenience store worker Santi Ram Rai, 33, who was shot to death while on duty Dec. 9 in Portland’s Hazelwood neighborhood, authorities said after a multi-agency operation.
Police described a case built across the Columbia River, with Portland detectives tracking leads from the Dec. 9 homicide and coordinating with Vancouver units when the suspects were found. The arrests placed a spotlight on cooperation among neighboring jurisdictions as detectives seek to learn what happened inside the store just after 5:20 p.m. The boys, ages 12 and 15, were booked into the Robert L. Harris Juvenile Justice Center. Officials said the case remains open, and they expect more interviews and evidence review as prosecutors determine the forum for the Oregon homicide charges alongside separate Washington firearm and stolen property counts.
Investigators said the arrests occurred near Northeast 112th Avenue and Northeast 49th Street in Vancouver with assistance from the Vancouver Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit and the Clark County Regional SWAT team. Police said the 12-year-old faces allegations of first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, unlawful use of a weapon and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. The 15-year-old faces allegations of second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, unlawful use of a weapon and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. In addition, both teens were booked on two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a stolen motor vehicle tied to incidents in Vancouver. “We remain committed to seeking justice for the victim,” Police Chief Bob Day said in a joint statement with Mayor Keith Wilson and Community Safety Director Stephanie Howard.
Rai was killed at a small convenience store on Southeast 139th Avenue. Officers responding at 5:21 p.m. found him mortally wounded and called paramedics, who pronounced him dead at the scene. The Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide by gunshot. In the days after the killing, family members shared photos for publication and designated a spokesperson as detectives collected surveillance video and canvassed businesses. Police did not release any further description of the suspects before the arrests and did not say what interaction preceded the gunfire inside the store.
The arrests move the case toward first appearances in juvenile court. Because the boys were booked in Washington, early proceedings will occur there on the Washington offenses, while Multnomah County prosecutors review Oregon murder and robbery filings and coordinate with Clark County on transport. Juvenile confidentiality rules restrict the release of names and many records. No hearing dates were announced Wednesday, and police said they would provide updates as schedules are set. The homicide remains under investigation, with detectives asking anyone who has not already spoken with them to contact the bureau’s homicide unit.
In Hazelwood, a neighbor who walks the block nightly said police closed Southeast 139th Avenue the evening of the shooting and that investigators stayed well into the night collecting evidence. A clerk at another store nearby said the loss has weighed on workers who knew Rai in passing. The joint city statement called the arrests “a sobering reminder of the urgent need for prevention and intervention, especially when young people are involved,” while expressing gratitude to investigators and community members who shared information.
As of Thursday, both teens were still held at the Robert L. Harris Juvenile Justice Center in Vancouver as prosecutors on both sides of the river coordinated next legal steps. Officials said additional details, including court calendars, would be released when available.
Author note: Last updated January 15, 2026.