Bystander Shoots 16-Year-Old After Attack at Bend Elementary School

A 16-year-old resident of Bend, Oregon, entered Silver Rail Elementary School on 15 October 2026 and killed three children and one teacher. An armed community member who followed him inside the building shot and killed the attacker. A seven-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to hospital with critical injuries.

Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said the first 911 call arrived at 12:59 p.m. from a person in a vehicle who reported being shot at multiple times by someone with a long gun. Within minutes, dispatchers received dozens of additional calls reporting that a shooter had entered the school. Officers directed the school into lockdown at 1:01 p.m. and arrived at 1:02 p.m. Moments later an officer reported that the suspect had been shot by a community member.

The children who died were aged five, eight and eleven. The school serves roughly 400 students from kindergarten through fifth grade and employs about 40 staff. All schools in Bend and La Pine were closed on Friday. Officials have not released the names of the dead or the injured. They have also not said whether the attacker had any prior connection to the school or what specific type of long gun he used.

Krantz said the attacker forced entry by firing at locked doors. Police have not disclosed how many rounds were fired or how far into the building the attacker reached. The community member who intervened was legally carrying a concealed weapon. Investigators have not released his name. The motive remains under investigation.

One report said the attacker fired at a red Toyota Tacoma pickup truck in the school parking lot before entering the building, shattering the rear window and leaving multiple bullet holes. The driver of the truck called emergency services. The attacker then fired at the door locks to gain entry.

The shooting is one of more than 30 incidents on K-12 school grounds in the United States this year, according to analyses by news organisations. Silver Rail Elementary sits in a residential area that also includes other schools. Residents living nearby reported hearing multiple shots shortly after 1 p.m.

Police cleared the building after confirming the attacker was dead and rendered aid to the wounded. Families of the victims were notified. Officials have said the investigation continues and that further details will be released when they are confirmed. The two people taken to St. Charles Medical Center remained in critical condition on the evening of 15 October.