A gunman opened fire inside Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday afternoon, leaving multiple people injured or dead before the shooter was killed inside the building, authorities said.
The suspect died shortly after officers arrived, though investigators have not yet determined whether the assailant was fatally shot by responding law enforcement officers or an armed bystander who intervened, Bend Police Department communications manager Sheila Miller said during an afternoon news briefing.
Chaos During Afternoon Dismissal Hours
Dispatchers received an initial call at approximately 12:59 p.m. regarding a gunshot fired into a vehicle near the school, Miller said. Within about one minute, emergency services were flooded with 911 calls from inside the facility reporting an active shooter on the campus.
Police officers were alerted at 1 p.m. and arrived at the elementary school at 1:02 p.m., according to Fox News. Seconds after entering the building, radio traffic confirmed that the suspect was down, Miller told reporters. The shooting occurred roughly an hour before the end of the school day.
Accounts regarding the full casualty count differed in the hours immediately following the incident. ABC News reported that at least three people were dead, including children, citing preliminary information from multiple sources. Law enforcement sources told the New York Post that at least two children and one adult, believed to be a school teacher, were killed, and two additional children were injured. Fox News and The Guardian reported that multiple victims were injured, with Bend Fire personnel transporting at least two people to St. Charles medical facilities in unknown condition.
Search and Evacuation of the Building
Hundreds of first responders from agencies across Central Oregon converged on the school property, Fox News reported. Law enforcement personnel systematically conducted room-by-room searches to clear the facility and safely evacuate students and staff members.
Silver Rail Elementary School serves an estimated 400 to 450 children and employs more than 40 staff members, according to school and police officials. Authorities directed parents and guardians to a reunification center established at Journey Church along South Highway 97.
“This is the kind of thing we never want to see happen in Bend. It’s devastating,” Miller said during the press briefing.
Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said in a statement that district officials were “stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy.” Cook added that school administrators were focusing on “caring for our students and staff and assisting law enforcement and emergency responders.”
Elected Officials and Federal Agents Respond
Elected officials throughout Oregon quickly reacted to the violence. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek stated on social media that she was tracking developments and praised emergency crews at the scene. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., expressed sympathy for the school community, remarking on social media that no student should have to fear violence inside a classroom.
U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Ore., whose district covers Bend, called the attack “every parent’s worst fear” in a statement released on social media.
Federal law enforcement joined the local inquiry Thursday afternoon. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the bureau was assisting with the investigation, and the agency’s Portland field office announced it would supply any resources required by local detectives. An official also noted that personnel from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were traveling to the scene, ABC News reported.
Authorities have not released the identity of the shooter or a potential motive. Police have also not formally identified the victims or confirmed whether the bystander who may have shot the suspect was affiliated with the school.
