A 16-year-old opened fire at an elementary school in Bend, Ore., on Thursday, killing three children and a teacher before he was shot by a person at the scene who pursued him into the school, authorities said.
Authorities found the suspect dead inside the school minutes after the shooting was first reported, Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said.
The three children killed were aged 5, 8 and 11. Another child, 7, and a teacher, 54, were injured and taken to a hospital in critical condition, Krantz said.
The attacker, identified as a Bend resident, forced his way into the school by shooting at locked doors, police said. He was shot and went down inside the school shortly after officers arrived, police spokesperson Sheila Miller said.
The first 911 call came just before 1 p.m. from a person in a vehicle outside Silver Rail Elementary who reported being shot at by someone with a long gun, Krantz said.
Further 911 calls came from inside the school, and officers arrived on scene within minutes, Miller said.
Police said they did not know if the attacker knew anyone at the school or whether he had attended.
The attacker used a pump-action shotgun that was purchased by his mother, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the shooting.
The official spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation.
The school in Bend, Oregon, which is more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Portland, had 459 enrolled students as of last year, according to the Oregon Department of Education. The school serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Community Member “Heroically Intervened”
At a news conference Thursday night, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said her heart was “absolutely broken” and thanked the civilian who pursued the shooter.
“To the community member who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life: Your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you as well,” she said.
Reunification of children with their parents was ongoing early Thursday evening.
“We are stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy,” said Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook, in a statement posted by the Bend police department.
“We extend our deepest sympathy to the families and to everyone affected by this violence. No words can adequately express the grief our community is experiencing. Our immediate priorities are caring for our students and staff and assisting law enforcement and emergency responders.”
Prior to Thursday’s shooting, there had been 25 other school shootings this year that resulted in injuries or deaths, according to an Education Week analysis.
Education Week Managing Editor Sean Cavanagh and Assistant Managing Editor Madeline Will contributed to this report.
