Three children and a teacher were killed by a crazed teen gunman who opened fire with a long gun at an Oregon elementary school on Thursday, police said.
The 16-year-old suspect was then shot dead by a hero bystander after unleashing hell at Silver Rail Elementary School at around 1 p.m., authorities said.
Three students — ages 5, 8, and 11 — and a teacher were killed in the carnage.
Another child, 7, and a 54-year-old teacher were hospitalized in critical condition, cops said.
Hundreds of first responders rushed to the school minutes after a report of shots being fired — with the unidentified gunman being shot dead within seconds of cops arriving, police spokesperson Sheila Miller told reporters.
A crazed gunman opened fire at the Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Ore., killing at least three kids and one adult, on Oct. 15, 2026. AP Photo/Joe Kline
Miller said police first received a call of a shot being fired into a car near the school.
“The Bend Police Department is currently at Silver Rail Elementary School after a report of an active shooter,” the department said in a statement earlier Thursday. “There is a large police presence in the area. Please avoid the area.”
Roughly 400 to 450 children attend the school in the Central Oregon desert city, the spokesperson said. Police were still evacuating the school during a media briefing around 2:00 p.m.
Police tape seen outside Silver Rail Elementary School after the shooting. AP Photo/Joe Kline
People walk at a family reunification location at Journey Church following the deadly shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Ore., on Oct. 15, 2026. REUTERS
Emergency personnel direct traffic at the family reunification site. REUTERS
Families have been directed to the reunification location at Journey Church, 61303 S. Highway 97, near Goodwill and Dairy Queen.
Officials are monitoring the situation.
“My team and I are closely monitoring reports of an active shooter situation at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend. As details continue to come out, my heart is with the Bend community and all of the students and families affected. No one should have to fear violence at school,” Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) wrote on X.
“We are stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy,” Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said in a separate statement.
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“We extend our deepest sympathy to the families and to everyone affected by this violence. 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.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.