A 16-year-old boy has reportedly shot dead three children and a teacher at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon, United States, in an attack that left another child and a teacher critically injured.
The shooting occurred on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at Silver Rail Elementary School, prompting an emergency response from law enforcement agencies across the area.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said the children killed at the scene were aged five, eight and 11. A seven-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher sustained critical injuries and were rushed to a local hospital for treatment.
According to Krantz, the police initially received a report from an individual who said a person armed with a long gun had fired at them several times. Additional emergency calls subsequently alerted authorities that a gunman had entered the school premises.
Police officers arrived at the school at about 1:02 p.m. local time, within minutes of receiving the reports.
The police chief said the suspect was shot dead by an armed member of the public who reportedly saw him enter the school and pursued him inside.
Officers later entered the building and confirmed that the teenager had died.
Preliminary findings suggested that the suspect gained access to the school by shooting at locked doors, Krantz said, adding that the investigation was still in its early stages.
Authorities identified the suspect as a resident of Bend, a city located approximately 270 kilometres southeast of Portland.
Following the attack, officials placed the school under lockdown while students were evacuated under police escort to a designated location where they could reunite with their families.
Between 400 and 450 pupils attend Silver Rail Elementary School, which serves children from kindergarten through fifth grade and has more than 40 staff members.
Bend-La Pine School District Superintendent Steve Cook described the incident as an “unthinkable tragedy”, expressing grief over the loss of lives and the injuries sustained by members of the school community.
Parents gathered anxiously at the designated reunification centre as authorities helped students leave the school safely.
The school district subsequently cancelled classes across its schools for Friday, alongside scheduled activities and sporting events.
Residents also gathered at Drake Park on Thursday evening for a candlelight vigil in honour of the victims, placing flowers and candles in remembrance of those killed.
The attack has renewed concerns over gun violence in the United States, where mass shootings and attacks on educational institutions have continued to fuel calls for stricter firearm regulations.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, the country had recorded more than 360 mass shootings in 2026 as of the time of the report. The organisation defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more people are shot, excluding the shooter.
Gun safety advocacy group GIFFORDS expressed sympathy for the affected children and their families, calling for action to prevent similar incidents.
Oregon Congresswoman Janelle Bynum also condemned the violence, lamenting the repeated loss of young lives in shootings.
The incident has once again intensified the debate over gun control in the United States, where disagreements between gun rights advocates and supporters of stricter firearm laws have continued to hinder significant changes to existing regulations.
