In short
- Three children aged five, eight and 11, and a teacher, were shot dead at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon.
- A bystander pursued the 16-year-old attacker into the school and shot him dead; Bend police officers arrived three minutes later.
- A seven-year-old and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to hospital in critical condition.
- Around 450 children and more than 40 adult staff members are at Silver Rail Elementary School, according to police.
- The K-12 School Shooting Database recorded 235 shooting incidents at US schools last year and at least 140 so far this year.
A 16-year-old boy shot dead three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday afternoon after shooting at locked doors to force his way inside, Bend police said. A bystander pursued the attacker into the school and shot him dead. Officers arrived three minutes later.
What happened at Silver Rail Elementary School?
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said the suspect, who has not been named, forced his way into the school by shooting at locked doors. Police were alerted to an active shooter at 12:59 local time (19:59 GMT), department spokeswoman Sheila Miller told reporters. The first call came from a person who said an unknown suspect was shooting into their car with a long gun, and photos released from the scene show a red truck with bullet holes. Minutes later, county dispatch received 911 calls reporting that the attacker had entered the school.
Who were the victims?
The three children killed were aged five, eight and 11. A seven-year-old and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to hospital in critical condition. Police said the attacker was a local 16-year-old boy and released no further details about him or the identities of the victims, and that it was unclear whether he had any links to the school. Around 450 children attend Silver Rail Elementary, which has more than 40 adult staff members. Elsewhere, a roof collapse at a school in Peshawar killed 33 pupils and a teacher.
Who stopped the gunman?
Krantz said the teenager was shot dead by a community member who “pursued him into the school and engaged him”. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek praised the bystander, saying he “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,” Kotek told a media briefing alongside other officials.
How have officials and residents responded?
Steven Cook, the top administrative official of the local school district, said in a statement: “We are stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy.” He added: “No words can adequately express the grief our community is experiencing.” Schools in Bend were closed on Friday, and officials said the community needed time to heal. Michael Kohn, a reporter with the Bulletin newspaper, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the school was in lockdown during the shooting and that students were able to communicate with parents outside using Apple watches. “This is a neighbourhood school. Parents are stunned. It’s just something you don’t expect to happen in Bend, Oregon. It’s a mountain town,” he said.
How many school shootings has the US recorded?
According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there were 235 shooting incidents at American schools last year and at least 140 so far this year. Everytown for Gun Safety, a gun control advocacy group, ranks Oregon 12th among US states on the strength of its gun laws, though the state’s gun violence rate is near the national average at 14.2 deaths per 100,000 residents, according to the group. In Canada, British Columbia has sued OpenAI over the Tumbler Ridge shooting.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were killed in the Bend, Oregon school shooting?
Three children aged five, eight and 11, and a teacher, were shot dead at Silver Rail Elementary School. A seven-year-old and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to hospital in critical condition.
Who shot the attacker at Silver Rail Elementary School?
A community member who saw the shooting begin pursued the 16-year-old into the school and shot him dead, according to Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz. Police officers arrived three minutes later.
When did the Silver Rail Elementary School shooting happen?
Police were alerted to an active shooter at 12:59 local time (19:59 GMT) on Thursday afternoon, Bend Police Department spokeswoman Sheila Miller said. Schools in Bend were closed on Friday.
How many school shootings does the US record?
The K-12 School Shooting Database recorded 235 shooting incidents at American schools last year and at least 140 so far this year, according to the figures cited after the Bend attack.
With reporting from BBC News.
Stock image, not from the events described. Globe World — Jo%E3o%20Silas / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)