What we know about the Bend, Oregon, elementary school shooting - BERITAJA

Three young children and a coach were killed Thursday day successful a horrific shooting astatine an simple schoolhouse successful Bend, Oregon, and a teenage fishy was fatally changeable by a bully Samaritan who pursued him.

The shooter forced introduction into Silver Rail Elementary School by firing done the locked doors about 1 p.m. PT (4 p.m. ET), Bend constabulary said.

Police arrived wrong 3 minutes and learned the fishy had been changeable and killed.

Many questions stay about the motive and really the shooter gained entree to the agelong weapon utilized successful the attack.

Here’s what we know.

Timeline

Police arrived wrong 3 minutes of the first telephone for help.

Deschutes County dispatch received a telephone astatine 12:59 p.m. PT from a personification successful a conveyance saying they were being “shot astatine aggregate times by a personification pinch a agelong gun,” Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said astatine a news convention Thursday evening.

In the ensuing minutes, dispatch received “dozens” of 911 calls reporting that a shooter had entered the K-5 school, he said.

A reside alert was issued astatine 1 p.m. telling each rule enforcement officers to study to a captious incident.

One infinitesimal later, the schoolhouse was directed to spell into lockdown.

At 1:02 p.m., the first Bend constabulary officers arrived and moments later learned that a fishy “had been changeable by a organization personnel who had seen the fishy participate the schoolhouse and pursued him into the schoolhouse and engaged him,” Krantz said.

Officials did not opportunity really acold the gunman sewage into the school, which has much than 400 students and complete 40 unit members.

Officers entered the school, confirmed the fishy was dormant and began to evacuate it, busing group to a reunification halfway astatine a adjacent religion and providing assistance to the victims.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek praised the courageousness of the school’s unit members, parents and first responders and the unidentified organization personnel who “heroically intervened to extremity further nonaccomplishment of life.”

The victims

Three children — ages 5, 8 and 11 — and an big coach were killed. Their identities were not publically disclosed, but their families were notified, Krantz said.

A 7-year-old and a 54-year-old coach were taken to St. Charles Medical Center — Bend pinch captious injuries, he said.

What we cognize about the suspect

Officials identified the fishy arsenic a 16-year-old Bend resident but did not disclose his name.

Authorities declined to opportunity really galore shots were fired.

A Bend resident who was stepping adjacent the schoolhouse Thursday day heard astatine slightest six shots ringing out.

“They were spaced out, which made america mobility whether it was gunshots aliases personification doing construction,” Leah Schwartz told Beritaja.

Police said they are still investigating the fishy and did not opportunity whether he antecedently attended the schoolhouse aliases knew anyone who did.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives received the results of an urgent trace connected the agelong weapon utilized by the gunman Thursday evening, a root acquainted pinch the investigation and the crime segment said.

Authorities person not said really the shooter sewage entree to the weapon. In Oregon, a personification must beryllium 18 to acquisition rifles and shotguns and 21 for handguns. It is forbidden to waste firearms to minors.

However, group nether 18 could legally person firearms if they person parental consent, successful which lawsuit they whitethorn usage non-handgun firearms. Minors could besides temporarily person firearms for lawful reasons, specified arsenic hunting aliases target practice.

The investigation

Krantz said location will beryllium a ample rule enforcement beingness astatine the schoolhouse for respective days.

“This is going to beryllium a agelong investigation,” he said.

Kotek, the governor, said that the Oregon Department of Emergency Management is coordinating crossed aggregate authorities agencies and that “the authorities stands fresh to support” the community. The ATF and the FBI were besides assisting.

All schools successful the Bend-La Pine Schools district, arsenic good arsenic activities and diversion events, are canceled Friday.

Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler said Thursday that it was an “awful time for our community.”

“A schoolhouse should beryllium a safe spot wherever children could study and consciousness secure,” she said.