Worker at Intel hospitalized after threatening others during mental health crisis

Police detained a worker at Intel’s sprawling Hillsboro campus Saturday morning who was reportedly having a mental health crisis and threatening others.

Police placed a mental health hold on the individual, who was taken to a local hospital. The person does not face criminal charges, said Officer Zac Storm, a spokesperson for the Hillsboro Police Department.

“It appears an employee was having a mental health crisis and was threatening other employees,” Storm said in an email. No injuries were reported.

It’s not immediately clear if the worker was in fact an employee of Intel or a contractor, or if the person was on duty or visited the campus during off hours. It’s also unclear what type of threats were made.

Storm referred questions to Intel. A spokesperson for the company didn’t immediately respond.

The initial incident occurred around 7:10 a.m. and the person was detained about 20 minutes later. Intel sent notices to employees warning them to stay away from the D1X fabrication facility on its Ronler Acres campus, based on reports of “an individual harming himself and others.”

Intel later told employees that the person was in custody but to stay away from a café in the area.

“Ronler Acres is clear to resume normal operations,” a final notice said.

Intel last month eliminated 2,400 jobs in Oregon, marking one of the largest layoffs in state history.

-- Brad Schmidt is an editor overseeing investigative and data journalism at The Oregonian/OregonLive. Contact him at 503-294-7628 or bschmidt@oregonian.com

--Mike Rogowaycovers Oregon technology and the state economy. Reach him atmrogoway@oregonian.comor 503-294-7699.