A 16-year-old shot his way through locked exterior doors at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday, killing three children and a teacher before being fatally shot by an armed community member. Two others were critically injured in the attack at Silver Rail Elementary School.

The shooting has drawn attention to the challenges of protecting school buildings against armed intruders, even when access controls are in place. Silver Rail, which serves roughly 450 students, was evacuated as responding officers searched and secured the building. Students and families were directed to a reunification center at Journey Church.

The teenage gunman was a Bend resident, but investigators had not publicly established a motive or confirmed whether he had a connection to the school, according to news reports. Bend-La Pine Schools canceled Friday classes as the community mourned the victims.

What we know now

Four victims were killed and two critically injured in the attack — Police said the 16-year-old fatally shot three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School. A 7-year-old student and a 54-year-old teacher were critically injured and taken to St. Charles Medical Center for treatment. Authorities had not publicly released the victims’ names as of Friday morning.

An armed community member intervened, killing the shooter — Police said a community member saw the teenager enter the school, followed him inside and engaged him. The teenager was shot and killed before responding officers reached him. Officials credited the intervention with preventing further loss of life. Authorities had not publicly identified the person or confirmed whether the individual was a parent of a student.

Police arrived within three minutes of the initial 911 call — The first 911 call reached Deschutes County dispatchers at 12:59 p.m. from someone in a vehicle outside the school who reported being shot at by a person carrying a long gun. Additional calls followed from inside the building. Law enforcement was alerted at 1 p.m., the school went into lockdown at 1:01 p.m. and the first officers arrived at 1:02 p.m. Moments later, an officer reported that the suspect had been shot. Police subsequently confirmed his death.

The shooter bypassed building security by shooting through locked doors — Authorties said the teenager gained entry to Silver Rail Elementary School by firing through locked exterior doors. The circumstances raise questions about the ability of conventional school access controls to withstand an armed attack. Authorities have not released detailed information about the doors, their construction or the performance of other security measures at the school.

The community mourns as investigators seek a motive — Bend-La Pine Schools canceled classes, sports and extracurricular activities Friday across all 32 district schools. Community members gathered Thursday evening at Drake Park to mourn the victims. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek expressed condolences to the families and praised school staff, first responders and the community member who intervened. Investigators continued working to determine what motivated the attack and whether the gunman had any connection to Silver Rail Elementary School.

School shooting surge — The incident marks the 36th shooting reported on K-12 school grounds nationwide so far this year, according to a CNN data analysis.

Portions of this report are based on reporting by © 2026 Advance Local Media LLC (OregonLive.com), distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.