Bend School Shooting: Shooter Dead, Children Hurt in Oregon

The bend school shooting unfolded Thursday afternoon at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, where officers rushed to the campus after reports of an active shooter and urged residents to stay away from the area.

According to police, the first 911 call came in around 1 p.m. local time about a gunshot fired into a vehicle. Within minutes, more callers were reporting an active shooter at the school on Southeast Stone Creek Lane. When officers arrived, they learned the suspected shooter had already been shot and killed, police said at a news conference. It was not immediately clear whether a bystander or a police officer fired the fatal shot.

What Police Have Confirmed

Multiple people were injured, including children, and medics transported at least two people to a hospital, police said. Authorities had not released the victims’ conditions and had not said whether the transported patients were children.

The school, which serves roughly 400 to 450 students, was placed on lockdown. Officers were still evacuating the campus during a media briefing around 2 p.m. Police described a massive response, with hundreds of law enforcement officers converging on the scene.

A Community on Edge

Families were directed to a reunification site at Journey Church on South Highway 97, where a large crowd of parents gathered Thursday afternoon awaiting word on their children. The public was asked to avoid the area while officers secured the scene and investigators began piecing together what happened.

Oregon officials were monitoring the situation. Sen. Jeff Merkley said his team was closely following reports, adding that no one should have to fear violence at school. Police said more information would be shared as the investigation continues.

Source: CNN / KATU