School shooting in Bend, Oregon: three children and teacher killed, teen gunman dead
Three children and a teacher were killed after a 16-year-old opened fire at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon. The teen shooter was fatally shot by a community member.
Four dead after gunman forces his way into Oregon primary school
Three children aged 5, 8 and 11, and one teacher have been killed after a teenage gunman forced his way into Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday afternoon, abc30.com reports. The suspected shooter, a 16-year-old Bend resident, was fatally shot by a community member who saw the teen entering the school and intervened.
A 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were transported to hospital with critical injuries, according to police.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz, speaking at a news conference Thursday evening, said the sequence of events began at 12:59 p.m. PT, when a driver called police to report being shot at multiple times by a person carrying a long gun. Seconds later, the Deschutes County dispatch centre began receiving multiple 911 calls reporting that a shooter had entered the school.
Krantz said the initial investigation indicates the shooter "forced" his way inside the building by shooting at locked doors. At 1:01 p.m., the school was placed into lockdown. Officers arrived on scene one minute later, at which point the suspected shooter had already been shot by the bystander.
Police have not yet publicly identified the shooter beyond confirming he is a Bend resident. Authorities have not confirmed whether the teen attended Silver Rail Elementary or had any prior connection to the school. Details about the community member who stopped the gunman are expected to be released on Friday.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek thanked teachers, staff and first responders who rushed to the scene, and singled out the bystander who she said "heroically intervened to stop further loss of life."
Law enforcement evacuated the school room by room following the shooting. A reunification site for families was established at a nearby church.
Caleb Weis, who was riding his motorcycle near the school at the time, described the scene to ABC News. "Everything they were doing seemed highly trained and highly prepared for this," he said. "I didn't see as many phones out recording as you see on many other occasions, just a kind of a shock factor and an immense amount of respect for the law enforcement, first responders."
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the agency was on the scene assisting with the investigation. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also en route to the school, according to a source.
Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook described the attack as an "unthinkable tragedy." "We are stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy," Cook said. All classes, activities and athletic events across Bend-La Pine Schools have been cancelled for Friday.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)