A 16-year-old gunman killed three children and a teacher at an Oregon elementary school before a student’s father rushed in to stop him. Emergency dispatchers heard the heroics unfold on Thursday just after 1 p.m. in Bend. The shooter was neutralized inside the building by a bystander who entered the school to engage him.
Before going into Silver Rail Elementary School, the teenager fired his mother’s pump-action shotgun at a pickup truck. The rear window of the truck was broken, and the vehicle sustained at least six large bullet holes. A truck driver contacted 911 to report being fired upon repeatedly by an individual wielding a long gun. The boy then threw his weapon over a fence and jumped onto the school property.
Dispatch audio captured the moment the threat ended. “Looks like the shooter has been neutralized – possibly shot by a father at the school,” emergency dispatchers said in audio shared on Broadcastify, according to the New York Post. According to Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz, the boy was “shot by a community member who had seen [him] enter the school, pursued him into the school, and engaged him”, the New York Post reported. Police arrived within three minutes of the first call but found the shooter already dead.
Three young children, aged 5, 8, and 11, were among those fatally shot during the rampage. A teacher was also killed in the attack. Another child, age 7, and a 54-year-old teacher were hospitalized in critical condition. The school serves children in kindergarten through fifth grade and has an enrollment of roughly 400 to 450 students. During a media briefing near 2:00 p.m. local time, police continued evacuating the school.
Officials directed families to a reunification location at Journey Church near Highway 97. The Bend La Pines school district had previously banned all people from carrying firearms on district property, according to the New York Post. State statutes permit legally owned firearms on school property if they remain unloaded and secured inside a vehicle. It remains unclear if the heroic bystander had a concealed weapons permit.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek addressed the community regarding the brave actions of the father. “To the community member who 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,” she said. State Rep. Vikki Breese-Iverson thanked the first responders who “stepped in with urgency to protect our community.” Police spokesperson Sheila Miller confirmed that the shooter was killed inside the school.
Authorities warned that the investigation into the shooting will be “long” as they piece together the events. Rep. Janelle Bynum lamented the violence, stating, “our kids are getting shredded.Local officials are anticipated to conduct another press conference around 8:30 p.m. EST to provide more details. At this time, the shooter’s identity and that of any victims remain unknown.
