A 16-year-old gunman opened fire at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon on Thursday killing four people including three children aged 5, 8 and 11 and a teacher before being shot dead by an armed community member.
Two others, a 7-year-old student and a 54-year-old teacher were hospitalized in critical condition.
Police said the suspect gained entry by shooting through locked doors. A local community member saw the gunman enter also pursued him into the school and heroically intervened with killing the suspect and preventing further loss of life. Officers arrived within minutes of receiving initial emergency calls at 1:02 p.m. local time and confirmed the suspect's death.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek praised the citizen’s decisive intervention while expressing deep grief for the victims' families and the community.
Silver Rail Elementary serves roughly 450 students from kindergarten through fifth grade. The tragic event adds to a long line of American school shootings sparking renewed national debates surrounding gun control, public safety and school security measures.
