Three children and a teacher were killed in a shooting at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday, October 15. Another child and a teacher were critically injured. The 16-year-old suspected gunman was also killed after a local resident confronted him inside the school, police said.

The shooting took place at Silver Rail Elementary School. The children who died were aged 5, 8 and 11. A seven-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to hospital with critical injuries. Authorities had not released the names of the victims or the suspected shooter in their initial reports.

Shooting Reported Outside the School

According to Bend police, the first emergency call came in shortly before 1 p.m. local time. The caller reported that someone was firing a long gun at their vehicle outside the school.

Additional emergency calls soon reported gunfire inside the building. Police said the suspected shooter forced his way into the school by firing at locked doors.

The situation quickly escalated, prompting an emergency response and the evacuation of students and staff.

Local Resident Fatally Shoots Suspect

Police said a community member saw the suspected gunman entering the school and followed him inside. The resident confronted the teenager and shot him, killing him before officers arrived.

Police reached the scene approximately three minutes after the initial emergency call. Officers subsequently found the suspected shooter dead and discovered the four victims who had been killed inside the school.

Investigators have not established a motive for the attack. Authorities have also not confirmed whether the teenager had any connection to the school. The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation.

School Community Mourns Victims

Steven Cook, superintendent of the Bend-La Pine Schools district, expressed profound sorrow over the tragedy.

He described the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School as an unthinkable event and said the community was struggling to find words to express its grief.

Students and staff were evacuated, and arrangements were made to reunite children with their families. The district subsequently cancelled classes and activities at all its schools on Friday, October 16.

School Safety Under Renewed Scrutiny

Local reports said Silver Rail Elementary School had a security system that allowed classroom doors to be locked from the inside. Police said the suspected gunman entered the building by shooting at locked doors.

The incident has renewed concerns about school security and gun violence in American educational institutions. Investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the attack, including the suspect's possible connection to the school and the motive behind the shooting.