Three young children and a teacher were killed Thursday afternoon in a horrific shooting at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon, and a teenage suspect was fatally shot by a good Samaritan who was chasing him.
The shooter forced entry into Silver Rail Elementary School by shooting through locked doors around 1 p.m. PT (4 p.m. ET), Bend police said.
Police arrived within three minutes and learned the suspect had been shot and killed.
Many questions remain about the motive and how the shooter gained access to the long gun used in the attack.
Here’s what we know.
Chronology
The police arrived three minutes after the first call for help.
Deschutes County dispatch received a call at 12:59 p.m. PT from a person in a vehicle saying they had been “shot multiple times by a person with a long gun,” Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said at a news conference Thursday evening.
In the minutes that followed, dispatch received “dozens” of 911 calls reporting that a shooter had entered the elementary and middle school, he said.
An audible alert was issued at 1 p.m., asking all law enforcement officers to report in the event of a critical incident.
A minute later, the school was ordered to close.
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At 1:02 p.m., the first Bend police officers arrived and learned moments later that a suspect “had been shot by a community member who saw the suspect enter the school, chased him into the school and engaged him,” Krantz said.
Authorities did not say how far into the school, which has more than 400 students and more than 40 staff members, the shooter entered.
Officers entered the school, confirmed the suspect was dead and began evacuating it, transporting people to a reunification center at a nearby church and providing aid to the victims.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek praised the courage of school staff, parents and first responders, as well as the unidentified community member who “heroically intervened to stop further loss of life.”
The victims
Three children – aged 5, 8 and 11 – and an adult teacher were killed. Their identities have not been publicly revealed, but their families have been notified, Krantz said.
A 7-year-old man and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend with serious injuries, he said.
What we know about the suspect
Authorities identified the suspect as a 16-year-old Bend resident, but did not release his name.
Authorities declined to say how many shots were fired.
A Bend resident walking near the school Thursday afternoon heard at least six gunshots.
“They were spaced apart, which made us wonder if it was gunfire or someone building,” Leah Schwartz told NBC News.
Police said they were still investigating the suspect and did not say whether he had previously attended the school or knew anyone who had.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives received the results of an urgent search Thursday evening for the long gun used by the shooter, a source close to the investigation and crime scene said.
Authorities have not said how the shooter gained access to the weapon. In Oregon, a person must be 18 years old to purchase rifles and shotguns and 21 years old for handguns. It is illegal to sell firearms to minors.
However, people under the age of 18 can legally own firearms if they have parental consent, in which case they can use firearms other than handguns. Minors can also temporarily possess firearms for legal reasons, such as hunting or target practice.
The investigation
Krantz said there would be a heavy law enforcement presence at the school for several days.
“This is going to be a long investigation,” he said.
Kotek, the governor, said the Oregon Department of Emergency Management coordinates multiple state agencies and “the state stands ready to support” the community. The ATF and FBI were also helping.
All Bend-La Pine School District schools, as well as sporting activities and events, are canceled Friday.
Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler said Thursday it was a “terrible day for our community.”
“A school should be a safe place where children can learn and feel safe,” she said.
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