Teen Gunman Kills Three Children and a Teacher at Oregon Elementary School Before Armed Bystander Stops Him

BEND, Ore. — A 16-year-old gunman shot his way into an elementary school in this central Oregon city on Thursday afternoon, killing three young children and a teacher before he was shot dead by a community member who had followed him inside, authorities said.

A 5-year-old, an 8-year-old, an 11-year-old and a 54-year-old teacher were killed in the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School, officials said at a news conference Thursday night.

In addition, a 7-year-old child and a second 54-year-old teacher were taken to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend with critical injuries.

The violence unfolded in a matter of minutes. The first 911 call came just before 1 p.m. from a person in a vehicle outside the school who reported being fired upon by someone with a long gun, Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz told reporters.

Within the next minute, Deschutes County Dispatch received multiple 911 calls reporting that a person had entered the school and begun shooting. Police ordered the school into lockdown at 1:01 p.m., and officers arrived at 1:02 p.m.

According to Krantz, the attacker did not slip in unnoticed. He breached the building by “shooting at locked doors,” the chief said.

When officers arrived within three minutes of the first emergency call, they found that the suspect had already been killed by a bystander, who had seen him enter the school, pursued him inside and engaged him.

Police have not formally said what kind of firearm was used. Krantz did not specify the weapon, but a law enforcement official briefed on the shooting told The Associated Press it was a pump-action shotgun. Police did not release the names of the victims or the shooter.

Federal law enforcement sources told Fox News that the man who stopped the attack was an armed bystander with a concealed carry permit, and one source said the intervention “definitely prevented more deaths.”

Police have not yet released any information about the bystander, but said they would likely share more details on Friday.

There was no word on a motive, and police could not say whether the suspect had any connection to the school. Many questions remain about why the attack happened and how the shooter obtained the long gun used in it.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, who appeared at Thursday evening’s news conference, said her heart was “absolutely broken” and thanked the civilian who pursued the shooter.

She praised the courage of the school’s staff, parents and first responders, as well as the unidentified community member who “heroically intervened to stop further loss of life.”

Kotek recalled that roughly a year ago she had visited Silver Rail to spend time with educators and community members and to call parents congratulating them on their children’s attendance.

Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook spoke directly to the grieving families.

“To the families that have had loss tonight, we are with you and we will stay with you,” Cook said. The victims’ identities have not been made public, though Krantz said their families have been notified.

After the shooting, officers entered the building, confirmed the suspect was dead and began evacuating it, busing students and staff to a reunification center at a nearby church while providing aid to the wounded. Families were directed to Journey Church on South Highway 97.

More than 400 students are enrolled at Silver Rail, and the district closed all Bend-La Pine schools on Friday, canceling activities and athletic events as well. Crisis support sessions were scheduled in Bend for Friday. Residents gathered Thursday night for a prayer vigil, and a makeshift memorial of candles and flowers grew outside the school.

The investigation is expected to be lengthy. Investigators will remain at the school for several days, Krantz said. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was also at the scene assisting local authorities, including the Oregon State Police, according to a law enforcement source.

Officials said they planned to hold another news conference with additional information Friday afternoon.

Members of Oregon’s congressional delegation joined state leaders in expressing grief. Sen. Ron Wyden said his heart was with the victims and “their loved ones now facing the consequences of another school shooting in America.”

Sen. Jeff Merkley said on X that his team was closely monitoring the situation and that no one should have to fear violence at school.

The attack is the latest in a grim tally across the country. It marks the 36th shooting on K-12 school grounds in the United States this year, according to CNN’s analysis of incidents reported by the Gun Violence Archive, Education Week and Everytown for Gun Safety.

For Bend, a fast-growing city known for its outdoor recreation, the shooting reopens old wounds. In August 2022, a 20-year-old gunman opened fire at a Safeway grocery store in the city, killing two men and wounding two others before taking his own life.

A 2024 incident in which a gun was brought to a Bend school also prompted a district safety review.

Bend-La Pine Schools maintains a school resource officer partnership with the Bend Police Department and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, though it was not immediately clear whether an officer was at Silver Rail on Thursday.

Bend sits in central Oregon, about 150 miles southeast of Portland.