16-year-old kills three children and teacher at Oregon elementary school before bystander shoots attacker
A teenager forced his way into Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon on Thursday, killing three children aged 5, 8, and 11, plus a teacher, before an armed community member pursued and killed him.
What happened
A 16-year-old suspect shot at locked doors to force entry into Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon at approximately 12:59 p.m. local time on Thursday. Police said the first alert came from someone reporting an unknown suspect shooting into a vehicle with a long gun. The attacker then entered the school and killed three children aged 5, 8, and 11, along with a 54-year-old teacher. A bystander who witnessed the shooting pursued the attacker into the school and shot him dead before police arrived three minutes later. A seven-year-old and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to a hospital in critical condition. Police have not released the identities of the victims or additional details about the attacker.
Context
Silver Rail Elementary School serves approximately 450 students and has over 40 staff members. The school had received new classroom doors in 2022 that can be locked with a switch. Oregon law prohibits anyone under 18 from purchasing a firearm, though juveniles may possess one with parental permission for certain uses like hunting. Oregon ranks 12th among U.S. states for gun safety law strictness. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database cited in the report, there were 235 shooting incidents at American schools last year and at least 140 so far this year. Schools in Bend were closed Friday to allow the community time to respond to the incident.
What's disputed
The exact type of weapon used remains officially unconfirmed by authorities, though multiple law enforcement sources told CBS News the suspect used a shotgun. It is unclear if the attacker had any links to the school.