Three children and an adult were killed in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday. The suspected gunman is also dead, with authorities investigating the possibility that a bystander was responsible for his death.
Federal law enforcement sources confirmed the four fatalities to Fox News. Bend police stated they were actively investigating whether a bystander killed the shooter inside the school. Officers were conducting a room-by-room search to evacuate the school and determine the circumstances of the suspect's death.
"We don't have confirmation yet who shot the suspect. It may have been a bystander," Sheila Miller, Bend Police Department’s communications manager, said during a news briefing.
Bend Fire medics transported at least two individuals to St. Charles hospital, but their conditions were not immediately known. The school serves approximately 400 to 450 students and has more than 40 staff members. It remains unclear how many were present during the incident.
Miller described the impact on the community as devastating. "This is the kind of thing we never want to see happen in Bend. It's devastating," she said.
Dispatchers received the first call at approximately 12:59 p.m. reporting a shot fired into a car. An alert was issued to officers at 1 p.m., and police arrived at the scene at approximately 1:02 p.m. Moments after officers arrived, information came over the radio indicating the suspect was down. Multiple 911 calls reporting an active shooter were received during the initial response.
Hundreds of law enforcement personnel from agencies across Central Oregon responded to the incident. The FBI’s Portland field office confirmed agents were on-site assisting local authorities. Families were directed to Journey Church for student reunification.
Silver Rail Elementary School, which serves kindergarten through fifth grade, is part of the Bend-La Pine school district. According to school data, the school enrolled 459 students and had approximately 30 teaching staff during the 2024-2025 school year.
Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook stated the district was "stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy." He extended condolences to the families affected and emphasized the district's focus on caring for students and staff while assisting emergency responders.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek confirmed she was closely monitoring the situation and expressed gratitude to the first responders. Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Representative Janelle Bynum, D-Ore., who represents the district including Bend, also shared their concerns and offered support to the community. Bynum described the shooting as "every parent’s worst fear."