Three children and a teacher were killed, while a child and another teacher remained critically injured after the Bend attack.
BEND, Ore. — A community member fatally shot a 16-year-old attacker inside an Oregon elementary school Thursday after the teenager killed three children and a teacher and critically wounded two other people, authorities said.
The shooting unfolded shortly before 1 p.m. Oct. 15 at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend. Police Chief Mike Krantz said the first 911 call came from a person in a vehicle outside the school who reported being fired on by someone carrying a long gun. Additional emergency calls soon reported a shooter inside the school. Officers arrived at about 1:02 p.m., and police said they learned within seconds that the suspect was down. Authorities later said a community member had followed the attacker into the school and shot him.
The children who were killed were 5, 8 and 11 years old, police said. Authorities had not publicly released their names Thursday evening. A teacher also was killed. A 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to a hospital in critical condition. Police did not immediately release additional information about their medical conditions.
Investigators said the 16-year-old was a Bend resident but did not publicly identify him. Police said they had not determined whether he had a connection to Silver Rail Elementary or knew anyone at the school. No motive had been announced as investigators began examining what led to the attack and the teenager’s movements before he entered the building.
Authorities said the attacker forced his way into the school through locked doors before opening fire inside. Bend police did not release a detailed timeline of every shooting or identify the rooms where the victims were found. Investigators were expected to remain at the campus as they processed evidence and interviewed witnesses. The FBI was among the agencies assisting local authorities.
The identity of the community member who confronted the teenager had not been publicly released. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek praised the person’s actions during an evening news conference, saying the intervention helped stop further loss of life. Police had not announced Thursday night whether investigators anticipated any legal action related to the community member’s decision to shoot the attacker.
Silver Rail Elementary serves children from kindergarten through fifth grade and had 459 students enrolled during the previous school year, according to state education figures cited by The Associated Press. After the shooting, students were evacuated and taken by bus to Journey Church, where families gathered for reunification. Law enforcement officers spent hours moving through the school and securing classrooms while parents waited for their children.
Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said the district was stunned and heartbroken by the attack and was focused on supporting students and staff while cooperating with investigators. Classes, sports and extracurricular activities at all 32 schools in the Bend-La Pine district were canceled for Friday. Officials also arranged support services for students, employees and families affected by the shooting.
The attack prompted a large response from law enforcement agencies across Central Oregon. Police initially received reports of shots outside the school before calls began coming from inside the building. Authorities said the suspected shooter was found dead inside the school only minutes after the first emergency report. Police continued clearing the campus afterward to ensure there was no continuing threat.
Investigators had not released the identities of the four victims or the teenager as of late Thursday. Police also had not announced a motive or established whether the suspect had previously attended the school. The two surviving victims remained hospitalized in critical condition in the latest official account, while the investigation into the attack and the civilian intervention continued.
Author note: Last updated October 15, 2026.