The suspected shooter, identified by police as a 16-year-old Bend resident, was fatally shot by a community member who reportedly witnessed the teenager entering Silver Rail Elementary School with a weapon.

Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz confirmed the deaths during a news conference Thursday evening, describing the incident as a deadly attack that also left two people critically injured.

According to authorities, the three children killed in the shooting were ages 5, 8 and 11.

A 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were also seriously wounded and transported to a hospital, where they were reported to be in critical condition.

Police have not publicly released the suspected gunman’s identity or determined whether he was a student at the school or had any personal connection to the victims.

Investigators are also working to establish a motive for the attack.

How the Shooting Unfolded

The violence began shortly before 1 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday.

At approximately 12:59 p.m., police received a report from a driver who said an individual armed with a long gun had fired multiple shots at their vehicle.

According to Chief Krantz, the call was among the first reports received by law enforcement as the incident unfolded.

Authorities subsequently reported that the armed teenager forced his way into Silver Rail Elementary School and opened fire.

A community member who saw the suspect entering the school shot and killed him, according to police.

The identities of the victims and the individual who shot the suspected attacker have not been released in the information provided.

Investigators have yet to establish whether the earlier shooting reported by the driver was directly connected to the attack inside the school, although both incidents were described during the police briefing.

Authorities have not disclosed additional details about the weapon used, the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death or whether anyone else was involved.

The shooting has left the school community confronting the deaths of three young children and an educator, while medical teams continue treating the two critically injured survivors.

Police are continuing their investigation into the sequence of events and the circumstances that led to the deadly attack.