Three children and a teacher have been shot dead at a US school after a 16-year-old opened fire, authorities have said. The suspect was later found dead, having been shot by a bystander at the scene who pursued him to the elementary school in Bend, in the US state of Oregon.
The attacker was found dead inside Silver Rail Elementary school minutes after the shooting was first reported. He is understood to have forced his way into the school by shooting at locked doors. The three children killed were aged five, eight and 11.
Injuries and response
Another child, seven, and a teacher, 54, were injured and taken to a hospital in critical condition, Bend Police chief Mike Krantz said. The attacker, identified as a Bend resident, was shot and went down inside the school shortly after officers arrived, police spokesperson Sheila Miller said.
The first 911 call came just before 1pm from a person in a vehicle outside Silver Rail Elementary who reported being shot at by someone with a long gun. Further 911 calls came from inside the school, and officers arrived on scene within minutes. Police said they did not know if the attacker knew anyone at the school or whether he had attended.
Weapon and school details
The attacker used a pump-action shotgun that was purchased by his mother, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the shooting. The official spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to publicly discuss the investigation.
The school in Bend, Oregon, which is more than 100 miles southeast of Portland, had 459 enrolled students as of last year, according to the Oregon Department of Education. The school serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade, from around age five to 11.
Governor's response
At a news conference on Thursday night, Oregon governor Tina Kotek said her heart was “absolutely broken” and thanked the civilian who pursued the shooter.
“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 as well,” she said.
