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A 16-year-old gunman killed three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday afternoon, Al Jazeera reports. The suspect, a Bend resident, was shot dead at the scene by a community member who followed him into the building.
Police Chief Mike Krantz said the first emergency call came at 12:59 p.m. local time from a driver who reported that a person with a long gun had fired at them several times. Dozens more calls followed within minutes. The school went into lockdown at 1:01 p.m., and officers arrived about a minute later, ABC News reported.
Krantz said the suspect forced his way in by shooting at locked doors. The dead children were aged 5, 8 and 11. A 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to St Charles Medical Center in Bend in critical condition.
The bystander, whom police have not identified, saw the teenager enter the school and confronted him inside. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek said the person “heroically intervened to stop further loss of life.” Officers then confirmed the suspect was dead, cleared the building and gave aid to victims.
Students and staff were evacuated room by room and bused to a nearby church to reunite with their families. The FBI and ATF assisted local police, and FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau would provide any resources needed. Investigators were still working to determine whether the suspect had attended the school.
All Bend-La Pine schools canceled classes, activities and athletic events for Friday. Police said they expect to release more information on Friday.
The Gun Violence Archive has recorded 369 mass shootings in the US so far in 2026, Al Jazeera reported. Everytown for Gun Safety has counted at least 100 gunfire incidents on US school grounds this year, with 34 deaths.
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