16-Year-Old Killed Three Children, Teacher in Oregon School Shooting

A 16-year-old shot dead three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday afternoon, police said. The suspect, whose name has not been released, forced his way into the primary school by shooting at locked doors. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz confirmed the teenager was subsequently shot dead by a community member who "pursued him into the school and engaged him," according to BBC World. Al Jazeera also reported that the police chief in Bend, Oregon, identified the shooter as a 16-year-old killed by a bystander.

The three children killed were aged five, eight, and 11. A seven-year-old and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to a hospital in critical condition, Chief Krantz stated, adding that it was unclear if the attacker had any links to the school. Steven Cook, the top administrative official of the local school district, issued a statement saying, "We are stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy." He added, "No words can adequately express the grief our community is experiencing."

Police were alerted to an active shooter at Silver Rail Elementary at 12:59 local time (04:59 BST), Bend Police Department spokeswoman Sheila Miller told reporters. The first call came from a person reporting an unknown suspect shooting into their car with a long gun; photos from the scene showed a red truck with bullet holes. Minutes later, the local county dispatch received 911 calls reporting the attacker had entered the school, shooting at door locks to force entry. Local media reports suggested the school received new classroom doors in 2022, lockable with a switch.

A bystander witnessed the shooting unfold, pursued the attacker into the school, and shot him dead, police confirmed. Three minutes later, officers first arrived at the scene, confirmed the attacker's death, and then searched the school. Schools in Bend were closed on Friday, with officials stating the community needed time to heal. Silver Rail Elementary School has around 450 children and more than 40 adult staff members. The K-12 School Shooting Database indicates 235 shooting incidents at American schools last year and at least 140 so far this year.

What to watch: Further investigation into the attacker's identity and motive.

Editor's note: Comprehensive coverage of the incident details, timeline, and background information provided in the source.