Silver Rail Elementary shooting leaves five dead, police say

Three children and a teacher were killed during a primary school shooting in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday afternoon, before a bystander shot and killed the 16-year-old attacker, police said.

Bend Police Response and Timeline of the Attack

The shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School began at 12:59 local time, Bend Police Department spokeswoman Sheila Miller told reporters. The initial call came from a person who reported that an unknown suspect was shooting into their car with a long gun. Photos released from the scene show a red truck with bullet holes.

Minutes later, local county dispatch received 911 calls reporting that the attacker had entered the school. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said the teenager forced his way into the building by shooting at locked doors. Local media reports indicated that the school received new classroom doors in 2022 that can be locked with the flip of a switch.

A bystander who witnessed the shooting unfold pursued the attacker into the school and shot him dead, according to police. Three minutes later, law enforcement officers arrived at the scene, confirmed the attacker was dead, and began searching the school.

Three Children Die in School Shooting

The three children killed in the shooting were aged five, eight, and 11, Krantz stated. A seven-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were transported to a hospital in critical condition. Authorities have not released the identities of the victims or further details regarding the teenage suspect.

It remains unclear whether the attacker had any prior links to the school.

Bend Schools Close to Heal from Tragedy

Around 450 children attend Silver Rail Elementary School, which has more than 40 adult staff members. Schools in Bend were closed on Friday, with officials stating the community needed time to heal from the violence.

“We are stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy,” Steven Cook, the top administrative official of the local school district, said in a statement. “No words can adequately express the grief our community is experiencing.”

Broader Statistics on School Shootings

According to data from the K-12 School Shooting Database, there were 235 shooting incidents at American schools last year, and at least 140 have occurred so far this year.

More on this story: Silver Rail Elementary School Shooting in Bend Leaves Five Dead