A 16-year-old teenager, whose identity has not been disclosed, stormed into Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday and opened fire on students and faculty, killing three children and a teacher before being shot by a civilian who followed him into the building, according to reports from AP and other U.S. news outlets.
The toll was five deceased: the three minors —aged five, eight, and 11 years— a teacher, and the attacker himself.
A seven-year-old boy and a 54-year-old teacher were transferred to St. Charles Bend Hospital in critical condition.
How did the attack happen?
It all began at 12:59 p.m. (local time) when the emergency center received a call from someone reporting that they had been shot at in their vehicle by an individual with a long gun.
In the following minutes, dozens of calls reported an active shooter inside the school.
The Chief of Police of Bend, Mike Krantz, explained in a press conference that the attacker forced his way into the center by shooting at the locked doors.
At 1:01 PM, an emergency closure was declared, and just a minute later, the first officers arrived, confirming the suspect's death.
According to an anonymous police source cited by AP, the weapon used was a pump-action shotgun purchased by the attacker's mother.
The police did not publicly confirm this information, citing the ongoing investigation, nor did they reveal if the young man had any prior connection to the school.
The civilian who stopped the massacre
A member of the community who witnessed the teenager break into the building followed him inside and subdued him before the officers arrived.
A radio dispatch from the emergency services captured the moment: "It appears that the shooter has been neutralized, possibly shot by a parent at the school."
The governor of Oregon, Tina Kotek, praised that intervention: "To the community member who heroically intervened to prevent further loss of life: your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and I want you to know that my thoughts are with you."
Kotek also expressed his grief: "I heard the joy and excitement of those parents in those conversations. My heart is absolutely shattered today, and our hearts will remain broken in the days and weeks to come."
The community is in a state of shock
The superintendent of the Bend-La Pine district, Steven Cook, broke down emotionally in front of the cameras: “This is what you hear happens in other places and pray that it never happens here. And it has happened here today.”
The more than 400 students enrolled at Silver Rail were transported by bus to Journey Church as a point of reunification with their families.
The district canceled classes on Friday in its 32 schools.
The mayor Melanie Kebler announced support psychological teams for families and affected personnel.
On the night of this Thursday, dozens of people gathered in a park in the city center for a candlelight vigil.
"I am completely shocked, scared, and sad. It is something terrible, but it has also brought people together," said a participant to AFP.
The debate on gun control
The FBI immediately joined the investigation. Its director, Kash Patel, announced that they would make "all necessary resources" available to local authorities.
According to the analysis by CNN based on data from the Gun Violence Archive, Education Week, and Everytown for Gun Safety, the Silver Rail shooting was the 36th shooting on K-12 school campuses so far in 2026.
AP and USA Today, in collaboration with Northeastern University, recorded it as the 28th mass shooting of the year in the United States.
Democratic lawmakers reacted with outrage.
The senator Ron Wyden asked, "Once again we must ask ourselves how many more schools need to be attacked before Republicans agree to take action to curb gun violence."
The congresswoman Janelle Bynum was more direct: "They are killing our babies. They are gunning down our children with bullets. They make us live in fear."
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