Bend (Oregon), Oct 16:
Three children and a teacher were killed when a 16-year-old gunman opened fire at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday. The teenager was subsequently shot dead by a community member who confronted him inside the school, police said.
Two others, including a seven-year-old child and a teacher, were critically injured and taken to hospital. The victims who died included children aged five, eight and 11, along with a 54-year-old teacher, according to police.
The shooting occurred shortly before 1 pm local time, triggering a major emergency response. The first emergency call reported that a person with a firearm had shot at a vehicle near the school. Further calls soon alerted authorities that the suspect had entered the school and begun firing.
Police officers arrived within minutes and found the gunman dead from a gunshot wound. Police Chief Mike Krantz said a community member had followed the teenager into the school and engaged him with gunfire before officers reached the scene.
Investigators are examining how the teenager obtained the firearm and what prompted the attack. Authorities said the suspect was a local resident and that the investigation was continuing with assistance from federal agencies.
The shooting sent shockwaves through the local community, with families gathering near the school as emergency personnel secured the premises. Classes and activities across the Bend-La Pine school district were cancelled for the following day as the community began to deal with the aftermath of the tragedy.
The attack has renewed concerns over school safety and gun violence in the United States, where schools continue to face the threat of armed attacks.