Four people were killed Thursday when a 16-year-old opened fire at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon.
The suspect was shot to death by a “community member” who followed the teen into the building, authorities said, praising the person for their actions.
Key details, including the identity of the suspect and any links to the school remain unclear, as authorities investigate.
Here’s what we know, and what we don’t know, so far:
The shooting took place over a few minutes
Deschutes County dispatch received a 911 call from a person in a vehicle at 12:59 p.m. local time Thursday, who reported being shot at multiple times by a person with a “long gun,” Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said at a news conference that evening.
In the minutes following the initial call, police received “dozens” of 911 calls reporting a person with a gun had entered Silver Rail Elementary School, he said.
At 1 p.m., emergency dispatchers alerted law enforcement. One minute later, officers ordered the school into lockdown. At 1:02 p.m. the first officers arrived on the scene, and, moments later, reported that the suspect was dead, Krantz said.
An officer reported the suspect had been shot by a “community member” who had seen the suspect enter the school and “engaged him,” Krantz added.
The incident came after Bend police officers underwent active threat training at a local high school in August, he added.
Who were the victims?
Three of the people killed were children, aged 5, 8 and 11, as well as a teacher, authorities said Thursday. Their identities have not been disclosed.
A 7-year-old child and 54-year-old teacher were also injured and are receiving medical care.
The shooting marks the 10th mass killing at an elementary or secondary school since 2006. The 5-year-old victim in Oregon is the youngest of all the people killed.
As the emergency response unfolded, hundreds of parents and families waited outside for updates, with some students inside the school sharing information with families through their smartwatches, local media outlet The Bulletin reported.
What is known about the shooter and the community member who intervened?
Police have described the assailant as a 16-year-old Bend resident who “forced their way into the school” by shooting at locked doors. It is not clear whether the suspect had any link to the school.
Police have not released details about the type of gun used in the shooting, other than to say it was a “long gun.”
The identity of the person who intervened to stop the shooting also remains undisclosed.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) on Thursday praised the person who “heroically intervened to stop further loss of life.”
“Your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you as well,” she said.
Silver Rail Elementary teacher Kathy Sheil Smith, who saw the shooter walk into the school from her classroom window and called the school office to alert them, also praised the person who intervened and said they saved many lives.
“That person saw something, they did something and that took its own courage,” she told Fox 12 KPTV. “I’m just grateful that that person was able to apprehend the suspect.”
What are Oregon’s gun laws?
Oregon’s gun laws require background checks and permits for purchase, and those who want to carry a concealed weapon in public are required to have first obtained a permit, according to gun regulation group Everytown for Gun Safety. The group ranks the state as 12th in the country for gun control laws.
Oregon also has a “red flag” law, that allows for law enforcement personnel and family members to petition for a court order to prevent someone from accessing guns if they are in crisis.
Bend-La Pine school policy bans students from bringing weapons, including replicas, onto school property, in accordance with state law. The school district also encourages families to practice safe storage of weapons at home.
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