Three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, and a teacher were among the victims killed in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday. Two other victims, including a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher, are in critical condition, officials said.
The suspected shooter was a 16-year-old Bend resident who was also killed during the incident, according to Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz. The shooter was shot by a community member after pursuing him into the school.
Krantz said the first 911 call came in at 12:59 p.m. local time from a person in a car who reported being shot at multiple times by someone carrying a long gun.
Over the next several minutes, dispatchers received additional calls reporting that the shooter had entered Silver Rail Elementary School. At 1 p.m., dispatch issued an alert to all law enforcement officers.
At 1:01 p.m., officers directed the school to go into lockdown. The first officers arrived at 1:02 p.m. Moments later, officers reported that the suspect was down. Officers entered the building, confirmed the suspect was dead, cleared the school and provided emergency aid to victims.
Krantz said 2 people in critical condition were taken to St. Charles Medical Center. Officers evacuated classrooms room by room as they searched the building and assisted those inside.
Students were taken from the school on buses to Journey Church, at 61303 S. Highway 97 near Goodwill and Dairy Queen, where families could reunite with them.
The Bend-La Pine Schools district confirmed that the school was placed on lockdown as police responded. The FBI’s Portland field office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Oregon State Police also assisted local authorities.
Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said the district was “stunned and heartbroken” by the shooting and that its immediate priorities were caring for students and staff and helping emergency responders.
The district announced that all schools would be closed Friday, along with all school activities and athletic events. Families were directed to Journey Church to reunite with Silver Rail Elementary students.
Silver Rail Elementary School is part of the Bend-La Pine Schools district in Bend, a city in central Oregon about 150 miles southeast of Portland. The investigation remains ongoing.