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A 16-year-old gunman opened fire at the Silver Rail elementary school in Bend, Oregon, authorities said on Thursday, killing three children and a teacher.
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The student victims are aged five, eight and 11. Their names have not yet been released, and authorities said their families have been notified.
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The 16-year-old shooter was found dead at the scene. Police said that an armed bystander apprehended and shot him inside the school.
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Two other victims, a seven-year-old and a 54-year-old, have been hospitalized. As of Thursday evening they remained in critical condition, according to police.
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Police arrived at the school at 1.02pm local time after receiving multiple reports of a shooting. One 911 caller reported an individual armed with a long gun firing upon their car. Police said the gunman forced entry into the building by shooting at locked doors, but did not identify the make of the firearm they used.
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The teenage shooter was a resident of the town, police said, but their name has not been released. Police have yet to provide a motive for the shooting and said they are still investigating if he had ties to the school.
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The attack has rocked the small city of Bend, which is home to 100,000 residents and is located on the Deschutes River, about 170 miles south-east of Portland. The school district plans to close all schools on Friday due to the tragedy.
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Officials have praised the swift actions of law enforcement and of the community member who intervened. The Oregon governor, Tina Kotek, praised the intervention as heroic and extended her thoughts to the bystander. “Your actions carry a heavy emotional burden,” she said on Thursday evening.
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The FBI is helping local authorities investigate the shooting, according to the agency’s director Kash Patel.
