Four people, including three children and a teacher, have been killed in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, in the United States.
Police said the incident began at around 1 p.m. after receiving a report from a person who said shots had been fired at their vehicle. Emergency calls followed shortly afterwards, with reports that a suspect had entered the school.
Authorities identified the suspect as a 16-year-old boy. According to police, a bystander witnessed the shooting, followed the suspect into the school and shot him dead.
Officers arrived at the scene three minutes after receiving the emergency calls. They confirmed that the suspect had been killed before proceeding to search the school.
The victims were three children aged five, eight and 11, and a teacher. A seven-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were also taken to a local hospital with critical injuries.
Authorities have not disclosed what may have prompted the shooting or the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s entry into the school.
Schools across Bend were closed on Friday as the community grappled with the aftermath of the incident. Officials said the closures would give residents time to grieve and begin the healing process.
The shooting has renewed concerns about school safety in the United States, where gun violence at educational institutions remains a major public concern.
Investigators are expected to establish the circumstances leading up to the attack, including the events preceding the shooting and the bystander’s involvement in confronting the suspect.
Authorities are yet to release further information about the motive behind the attack.
