US school shooting in Oregon leaves four dead

A tragic shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, has left three children and a teacher dead after a 16-year-old armed assailant forced his way into the building on Thursday afternoon, local police reported.

Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz stated that the unidentified local teenager shot at door locks to gain entry into the school. The children who lost their lives were aged five, eight, and 11 years old. A seven-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher sustained critical injuries and were rushed to a hospital.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

The incident was brought to a halt when a community member witnessed the unfolding tragedy, pursued the attacker inside the educational facility, and shot him dead. Law enforcement officers arrived at the scene just three minutes later to secure the campus.

"We are stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy. No words can adequately express the grief our community is experiencing."

Steven Cook, top administrative official of the local school district

Sheila Miller, a spokeswoman for the Bend Police Department, noted that authorities received the initial emergency call at 12:59 local time when a witness reported an unknown suspect firing a long gun at a red truck displaying bullet holes. Subsequent 911 calls minutes later alerted dispatchers that the attacker had breached the school building.