Three children and one teacher are dead after a shooter forced his way into an elementary school in Oregon on Thursday afternoon and opened fire, authorities said.
The suspected shooter, a 16-year-old, was fatally shot by a community member who saw the teen going into the Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz told reporters at a news conference Thursday evening.
The three children who were killed were 5, 8 and 11 years old.
In addition, a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to the hospital with critical injuries, police said.
Police have not publicly identified the suspected shooter saying only that he is a Bend resident. They have not said whether he attended the school or knew anyone at the school.
How the shooting unfolded
The incident began unfolding shortly before 1 p.m. PT Thursday.
At 12:59 p.m., police received a call from a driver who reported being shot at multiple times by a person with a long gun, the police chief said.
Shortly afterward, the Deschutes County dispatch center began receiving multiple 911 calls that a shooter had entered Silver Rail Elementary School.
Krantz said the initial investigation indicates the shooter “forced” his way inside the school by shooting at locked doors.
At 1:01 p.m., the school was directed to go into lockdown, Krantz said.
A minute later, officers arrived on the scene. An officer reported that the suspected shooter had been shot by a community member who had seen the teen entering the school, pursued him and engaged him, Krantz said.
Police have not yet released any information about the bystander who stopped the suspect, but said they would likely share additional information on Friday.
Bystander ‘heroically intervened,’ governor says
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek thanked teachers, staff and first responders who rushed to the scene and thanked the community member who she said “heroically intervened to stop further loss of life.”
Following the shooting, police said they evacuated the school room by room. A reunification site for families was set up at a nearby church.
Classes, activities and athletic events at all Bend-La Pine Schools are canceled for Friday, school officials said.
Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook called the shooting an “unthinkable tragedy” and said, “We are heartbroken. We are horrified.”
The shooting sparked a large police presence as law enforcement and first responders raced to the gym.
“Everything they were doing seemed highly trained and highly prepared for this,” Caleb Weis, who was riding his motorcycle near the school at the time, told ABC News.
“I didn’t see as many phones out recording as you see on many other occasions, just a kind of a shock factor and an immense amount of respect for the law enforcement, first responders,” he said.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency was on the scene assisting in the investigation.
Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also en route to the school, according to a source.
Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said they are “stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy.”
Classes, activities and athletic events at all Bend-La Pine Schools are canceled for Friday.
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