A red truck with bullet holes at the scene of the shooting in Bend.
Police say a bystander pursued and killed the 16-year-old attacker at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend. Two other victims remain critically injured.
An Oregon school shooting killed three children and a teacher on Thursday afternoon, police said. A bystander then pursued the 16-year-old attacker into Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend and shot him dead.
The children who died were aged five, eight and 11. Meanwhile, a seven-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher went to hospital in critical condition.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said the teenager fired at locked doors to force his way inside. Police identified him as a local boy but did not release his name or identify the victims.
Oregon school shooting began with report of gunfire outside
Bend Police Department spokeswoman Sheila Miller said police received an active-shooter alert at 12:59pm local time, or 19:59 GMT. The initial caller reported that an unknown person was firing a long gun into their vehicle.
Minutes later, county emergency dispatchers received calls reporting that the attacker had entered the school. Police said he gained entry by shooting at the door locks.
A community member saw the attack unfolding and followed the teenager into the building, Krantz said. The bystander then confronted and fatally shot him.
Officers arrived three minutes after that intervention, police said. They confirmed the suspect’s death and searched the school.
However, officials did not establish whether the teenager had any connection to Silver Rail Elementary. They also declined to specify the weapon type or how many rounds he fired.
Governor praises bystander’s intervention
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek praised the community member for intervening to prevent further deaths. Speaking alongside other officials, she also acknowledged the emotional burden the person would carry.
Meanwhile, local school district leader Steven Cook expressed shock and grief in a statement. He said words could not fully convey the community’s pain following the deaths.
Teacher Kathy Sheil Smith described trying to reassure pupils after seeing the gunman approach the school. She said some children prayed while others comforted classmates as the attack unfolded.
Schools across Bend will close on Friday, with officials saying the community needs time to heal. Police said about 450 children attend Silver Rail Elementary, which also has more than 40 adult staff members.
Questions remain over access to firearm
Oregon bars anyone younger than 18 from buying a firearm. However, state law permits juveniles to possess one with parental permission for certain activities, including hunting.
Officials did not explain how the teenager obtained the weapon used in the attack. His connection to the school also remained unclear.
The K-12 School Shooting Database recorded 235 shooting incidents at American schools last year. Its tally for this year had reached at least 140 incidents.
Meanwhile, Oregon has introduced several gun safety laws in recent years. Gun control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety ranks its laws as the country’s 12th strictest.
