Three children and teacher killed in Oregon school shooting

Four people — three children and a teacher — were killed in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday. Police said the 16-year-old attacker was also killed by an armed community member.

Police said the suspect entered the school after firing at its locked doors. Officials gave his age but did not release further details.

Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said at a news conference that the children who died were 5, 8 and 11 years old. A 7-year-old student and a 54-year-old teacher were seriously injured in the attack and taken to hospital.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, speaking at a briefing about the incident, thanked the community member who “heroically intervened to prevent more people from losing their lives.”

Krantz said the unidentified person saw the suspect enter the school and followed him inside.

Local police, emergency medical teams and federal agents responded to the scene. After securing the school, officers checked the rooms one by one and helped reunite students with their families.

The police chief said all officers in Bend had completed a full-day training session on active-shooter incidents in August. “Unfortunately, this is an incident we regularly prepare for and have to prepare for. The investigation will take a long time,” Krantz said.

Bend, with a population of about 100,000, is in central Oregon, a rural area 280 kilometres southeast of Portland. Officials said Silver Rail serves children from kindergarten through fifth grade, generally ages 5 to 11. The school has about 450 students and 40 staff members.

Kotek said she was closely monitoring the incident and thanked the first responders working at the scene.

U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley expressed support for the affected community. He said no student or family should have to fear violence at the place where they go to learn.

School shootings occur frequently in the United States. Each incident renews debate over gun rights protected by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Supporters of gun rights have proposed arming teachers for self-defense.