Three children and teacher killed in Oregon school shooting

The shooting occurred at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon. A 16‑year‑old shooter entered the school by shooting at locked doors, according to Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz. He killed three children and a teacher before being shot dead by a community member, according to Krantz.

The victims were aged five, eight and 11; a seven‑year‑old child and a 54‑year‑old teacher were taken to hospital in critical condition, according to Krantz. Police said the suspect forced his way into the school by shooting at the doors, according to Krantz. The first 911 call was made at 12:59 local time, and officers arrived within minutes, according to Bend Police spokesperson Sheila Miller.

The school serves kindergarten through fifth grade, with about 450 students and 40 staff, according to Miller. Schools in Bend were closed on Friday to allow the community time to heal, according to local officials. The incident was reported to the police by a person in a vehicle outside the school, according to Krantz.

Governor Tina Kotek thanked the community member who "heroically intervened to stop further loss of life", according to Kotek. The United States experiences frequent gun violence, with thousands of people killed each year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The incident adds to 235 school shooting incidents last year and at least 140 so far this year, according to the K‑12 School Shooting Database.