16-Year-Old Gunman Kills Four, Including Three Children, At Oregon Elementary School; Bystander Shoots Attacker Dead

A 16-year-old gunman killed at least four people, including three children, at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday, October 15, before a bystander who followed the attacker into the building shot him dead, police said.

According to The Associated Press (AP), the children killed were aged 5, 8 and 11. A teacher was also killed in the shooting. A 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to St. Charles Medical Centre in Bend with critical injuries.

Police Chief Mike Krantz said the suspect, a Bend resident whose identity has not been released, forced his way into the school by firing at locked doors. Investigators are still determining whether the teenager had previously attended the school.

How The Shooting Unfolded

Emergency services began receiving calls at 12.59 pm local time, with dozens more reports coming in over the following minutes, AP reported.

Krantz said the first call came from a person in a vehicle who reported being shot at several times by someone carrying a long gun.

The school was placed under lockdown at 1.01 pm, and police officers arrived shortly afterwards.

According to Krantz, an officer subsequently reported that a community member had seen the suspect enter the school, followed him inside and confronted him. The bystander shot the attacker dead, police said.

Officers entered the building and confirmed that the suspect had died. They then searched the premises to ensure there were no further threats before providing emergency assistance to the victims.

Police said the families of those killed had been notified. Officers also cleared every classroom, while students and staff were transported by bus to a nearby church, where they were reunited with their families.

The investigation remains underway, and Krantz said authorities would release further information in the coming days.

What We Know About The School

Silver Rail Elementary School serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade. Reuters reported that it has approximately 450 students and 40 staff members.

Bend, a city of around 100,000 residents, is located approximately 100 miles (160 kilometres) southeast of Portland, according to AP.

Oregon Governor Thanks Bystander Who Stopped Attacker

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek urged residents to come together and support one another following the shooting.

She also spoke with the bystander who confronted the gunman, thanking the individual for intervening.

Kotek said the person had “heroically intervened to stop further loss of life” and expressed concern about the emotional burden they may be carrying after the incident.

Sheila Miller, communications manager for Bend Police, described the shooting as devastating, saying the city had never wanted to experience an event of this kind.

FBI Assisting Local Police

FBI Director Kash Patel said in a social media post that the agency was at the scene assisting local law enforcement with the investigation.

“We will make every resource they need available,” Patel wrote.