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At least three children and one adult were killed in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday (local time), while the suspect was also killed, CBS News reported, citing multiple law enforcement sources.
Bend Police communications manager Sheila Miller said during a news conference that at least two people were taken to St. Charles Medical Center and that "the victims include children". It was not immediately clear whether those taken to the hospital were among those killed. Miller said the total number of victims was not immediately known. According to CBS News, police received a call shortly before 1 pm (local time) about a man shooting into a car. About a minute later, multiple 911 calls reported that the person had entered the school and started shooting, police said in a statement. Police arrived at the scene within three minutes and quickly reported that the shooter was dead. Miller said it was unclear who had shot and killed the suspect, adding that it "may have been a bystander". Law enforcement sources told CBS News that the shooter was believed to be a teenager and was killed by a Good Samaritan. Authorities had not provided further information about the suspect. Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency's Portland office was assisting local law enforcement with the investigation. In a post on X, Patel said, "@FBIPortland is on the scene and assisting our local partners in the investigation regarding an earlier shooting at a local school. We will make every resource they need available." https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2110851278221783351 The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was also at the scene to assist local authorities, including the Oregon State Police, a law enforcement source told CBS News. Police were evacuating individual classrooms at Silver Rail Elementary following the shooting. Bend police said a large law enforcement presence would remain at the school and at a church being used as a reunification area for families "for the foreseeable future". Bend is located in Central Oregon, approximately 150 miles southeast of Portland. Expressing grief over the incident, Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said, "We are stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy. We extend our deepest sympathy to the families and to everyone affected by this violence. No words can adequately express the grief our community is experiencing. Our immediate priorities are caring for our students and staff and assisting law enforcement and emergency responders." (ANI)
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