Three children, teacher killed in US elementary school shooting

A 16-year-old boy fatally shot three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon on Thursday afternoon before being killed by a bystander, according to police. The attacker forced his way into the school by shooting at locked doors, authorities said.

The three victims were aged five, eight, and eleven, while a seven-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were critically injured and taken to a hospital, police confirmed. It remains unclear if the shooter had any connection to the school.

Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz stated that the teen was shot dead by a community member who encountered the suspect inside the school and engaged him. Superintendent Steven Cook of Bend-La Pine Schools expressed deep sorrow over the "senseless tragedy," adding that no words could capture the community's grief.

Local law enforcement arrived at the scene at approximately 12:59 PM local time in response to reports of an active shooter. The first call indicated that an unknown suspect had shot into a car. Police received numerous 911 calls and sent officers to the area shortly after. Photos from the scene reveal a red truck with bullet holes. The shooter was reportedly a local 16-year-old boy, though police have not released additional details pending their ongoing investigation.