A 16-year-old forced his way through locked doors into an elementary school in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday, killing three children and a teacher. He was then shot by a person at the scene who followed him inside, authorities said.
The suspect was found dead inside the school minutes after the shooting was first reported, Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said.
The three children killed were aged 5, 8 and 11. Another 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were injured and taken to hospital in critical condition, he said.
The first 911 call came in shortly before 1 p.m. from a person in a vehicle outside Silver Rail Elementary School who reported being shot by someone with a long gun, Krantz told reporters. Additional 911 calls came from inside the school and officers arrived on scene within minutes, police spokeswoman Sheila Miller said.
The attacker, who police identified as a Bend resident, was shot and went down inside the school shortly after officers arrived, she said.
Police said they did not know if the shooter knew anyone at the school or if he had been there.
The children were taken by bus to a nearby church that serves as a family reunification center. Parents hugged, kissed and held their children’s hands as they headed to their cars, some bringing with them their favorite stuffed animals or other comforts from home.
The Bend school, located about 125 miles southeast of Portland, had 459 students enrolled last year, according to the Oregon Department of Education. The school serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade.
The high desert city has seen its population explode over the past three decades and is a center for tourism and outdoor recreation near Mount Bachelor.
Classes, sports and extracurricular activities were canceled Friday for all 32 schools in the Bend-La Pine district.
This shooting is the 28th mass killing in the United States this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
The attacker used a shotgun purchased by his mother, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the shooting. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation.
At a news conference, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said her heart was “absolutely broken” and thanked the civilian who pursued the shooter.
“To the community member who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life: your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you as well,” she said.
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Associated Press reporter Hannah Schoenbaum contributed to this report.
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