A 16-year-old suspected gunman is dead after reportedly killing at least three children and one adult in a shooting at a Bend, Oregon, elementary school.
The suspect reportedly opened fire on Thursday, October 15, at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend after allegedly shooting at a car outside the building. Within three minutes, the alleged gunman was dead — reportedly shot by a bystander.
Bend Police communications manager Sheila Miller revealed at a media briefing that at least two people were taken to nearby St. Charles Medical Center for treatment. Miller indicated that the total number of victims is not yet clear, though law enforcement officials verified that “the victims include children.”
A Bend Police Department statement shed light on a deadly series of events that took place within a matter of minutes on Thursday afternoon.
“At approximately 12:59 p.m., Bend Police responded to Silver Rail Elementary on reports of an active shooter. The first call indicated that an unknown man had shot into a car,” police said. “In the next minute, Deschutes County Dispatch received multiple 911 calls reporting that a person had entered the school and begun shooting.”
The department stated that its officers arrived on scene at Silver Rail Elementary School within three minutes of receiving the first emergency call.
“Seconds later, officers reported the suspect had been shot and killed, possibly by a bystander,” a police briefing read. “At this time, we have confirmed there are multiple victims. At least two people were transported to St. Charles Bend. Their status at this time is not known. Children are among the victims.”
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed via X on Thursday that federal agents were “on the scene and assisting our local partners in the investigation” into the shooting.
“We will make every resource they need available,” Patel, 46, pledged.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oregon State Police also joined the FBI and local officials as part of a quickly expanding probe, per CBS News.
Police have advised local residents to “avoid” the area around Silver Rail Elementary School because there will be “a large law enforcement presence” at the scene for “the foreseeable future.”
Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said in a statement on Thursday that his team were “stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy.”
“We extend our deepest sympathy to the families and to everyone affected by this violence,” Cook continued. “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.”
Bend, Oregon, was the site of a previous mass shooting in 2022 when 20-year-old Ethan Blair Miller killed two men and wounded two others at a Safeway grocery store. Miller reportedly fired more than 100 rounds into the store and then he took his own life before he could be brought into custody.
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