Police Break Down Deadly Bend School Shooting at Press Conference

Deschutes County Dispatch received a 911 call from a person in a vehicle who reported being shot at multiple times by a person with a long gun. In the ensuing several minutes, dispatch received dozens of 911 calls reporting that a shooter had entered the building at Silver Rail Elementary School on Southeast Stone Creek Lane in Bend, Oregon. At 1.02 p.m., our first officers arrived on scene. Moments later, an officer reported that a suspect had been shot by a community member who had seen the suspect enter the school and pursued him into the school and engaged him. Our officers entered the building and confirmed the suspect was dead. They cleared the school to ensure there were no additional threats and then rendered emergency aid to the victims. Officers at the scene located five people who had succumbed to their injuries, including the suspect. The deceased at the scene include three children, ages 5, 8, and 11, and one teacher. One 7-year-old child and one 54-year-old teacher were transported by Bend Fire to St. Charles Bend with critical injuries. The families of the victims have all been notified. We have identified the suspect as a 16-year-old Bend resident. Law enforcement personnel, including Bend Police, Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, Redmond Police, Oregon State Police, and our federal law enforcement partners and others, worked together to methodically evacuate each room of the building and continue this investigation. All students and staff at the scene were transported by Bend-LaPine school buses to Journey Church for reunification with families and guardians. And that process is still ongoing. Today, an unthinkable tragedy happened at Silver Rail Elementary School. No community should have to do what we're doing right now. I don't have any words for what this community is feeling right now. I don't think anyone does. We are heartbroken. We are horrified. This is the kind of thing you hear about in other places and pray that it never happens here. And it has happened here. Today it happened to our children, to our teachers, and to our families. To the families that have had loss tonight, we are with you and we will stay with you. To our staff who helped our students and protected our kids today, we thank you. You did what no one should ever be asked to do. I am so grateful, beyond words, for your efforts. To our community, I echo what Chief Krantz says. This is a time to love and care for one another and to show compassion for the victims and the families and their loved ones. All of our schools and communities, all of our schools and activities are canceled for tomorrow. we will have crisis counselors available at the central library for our students for our families for our employees and anyone in this community that needs support right now this is for everyone please hold your children hold your loved ones tight tonight let them talk let them cry let them know we are going to rally and care for one another in this community we will get through this but not yet we must grieve for the loss of our community members thank you Thank you.