School Shooting at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend Oregon Leaves Four Dead, Two Wounded, Shooter Killed

Bend, Oregon— A gunman opened fire inside Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend on the morning of October 20, killing three children and one teacher and wounding two others before being shot dead by police.

Bend Police said the call for an active shooter came in at 9:34 a.m. The shooter, a 19-year-old former student of the district with no current connection to the school, entered the building through a side entrance that had been propped open for a delivery. He was armed with a semi-automatic rifle and a handgun, both legally purchased, according to preliminary records.

Inside, he fired in a hallway near the fourth-grade classrooms. Three students, ages 9 and 10, and a 34-year-old teacher who stepped into the hallway to shield students were killed. Two other students were wounded and taken to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. The hospital said late this afternoon one child is in critical condition, the other stable after surgery.

Police officers from Bend Police Department, already on patrol two blocks away for a traffic detail, entered the building at 9:38 a.m., four minutes after the first call. They confronted the shooter in the library corridor. An officer fired, killing him. Police Chief said, "Our officers went in immediately. They did not wait. That action saved lives. There is no other way to put it."

The school, with 420 students enrolled, was placed on lockdown. Parents were directed to a reunification site at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds. Children were led out classroom by classroom, hands on heads. Associated Press reported many were crying, some barefoot, after leaving backpacks behind.

The district said the side door had a faulty automatic closer that had been reported for repair last week. The school had conducted an active shooter drill in September. Silver Rail Elementary had a single school resource officer, who was at a middle school across town at the time of the shooting.

Oregon Governor said in a statement, "Another school. More children lost. We cannot accept this as routine. Our hearts are with Bend." The White House said it is monitoring the situation and has offered federal assistance.

Bend is a city of about 100,000 in central Oregon, known for outdoor recreation and a fast-growing population. The school is in a newer subdivision on the east side. Neighbors said they heard sirens for an hour.

ATF and Oregon State Police are tracing the weapons. The motive remains unknown. Investigators are reviewing the shooter's phone and online posts. No manifesto has been found so far.

The school will remain closed for the week. Counseling is being offered at the fairgrounds.