Three children and a teacher were killed Thursday when a 16-year-old gunman opened fire at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon, before being fatally shot by a community member who followed him into the building, authorities confirmed.
The shooting occurred at Silver Rail Elementary School shortly before 1 p.m. local time. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said the victims included children ages 5, 8 and 11. A 7-year-old student and a 54-year-old teacher were also critically injured and transported to a hospital.
According to investigators, the first emergency call came from someone in a vehicle outside the school who reported being fired upon by a person carrying a long gun. The teenager subsequently gained entry to the building by shooting through locked doors. Police arrived within minutes, but a community member had already confronted and shot the suspect.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek praised the individual who intervened, saying the person’s actions prevented further loss of life. Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook expressed grief over the attack as officials began coordinating support for students, families and school employees. Classes throughout the district were canceled Friday.
Investigators have not established a motive or publicly confirmed whether the teenager had a connection to the school. Authorities have also withheld the identities of the victims and the person who stopped the attacker as the investigation continues.
