A hero bystander shot and killed a teenage gunman after pursuing him inside an Oregon elementary school where the attacker had fatally shot three children and a teacher, police said. The deadly violence unfolded Thursday at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend.

Police identified the gunman as a 16-year-old resident of Bend. Authorities said the teen entered the locked school by shooting through its doors before launching the rampage inside the building.

The bystander sprang into action only minutes after police received their first report of a shooter carrying a long gun near the school, according to police and sources. The community member then pursued the teenager into the school.

BREAKING: A HERO bystander reportedly took down a gunman inside an Oregon elementary school… but three children and an adult didn't make it

Sources say the shooter, believed to be a teenager, opened fire on a car outside Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, then walked straight into the school. Police got there in THREE minutes, and he was already dead, reportedly stopped by someone who ran toward the gunfire instead of away. Parents are packed into a church down the street right now, waiting to find out if their kid is coming home. Whoever stopped him saved a lot of children today. Source: CBS News / Writer: Daniel https://t.co/Vn5GkCRR0B — Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 15, 2026

Bend Police Department Chief Mike Krantz told reporters that the bystander shot the gunman moments after following him into the building. The teenager was pronounced dead inside the school, police said.

The first call to dispatchers reported that someone had fired a shot into a car near the school, police spokesperson Sheila Miller told reporters.

After firing those first shots, the teenager turned his weapon on the locked school doors to force his way inside, according to Krantz. The shooting then claimed the lives of three children, ages 5, 8, and 11, along with a teacher.

A child who is 7 years old and another teacher, 54, were hospitalized in critical condition, officials said. Police did not provide additional information about their conditions.

Silver Rail Elementary School has roughly 400 to 450 students. The school was evacuated following the terrifying attack, removing hundreds of children from the scene after the gunfire erupted.

Questions remained Thursday evening about the armed bystander and the circumstances surrounding his intervention. Krantz said he could not answer whether the community member had a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

The chief emphasized that many elements of the shooting remained under investigation. That includes the full sequence of events surrounding the gunman’s actions and the bystander’s decision to pursue him inside.

BREAKING: A bystander had already KlLLED the shooter at the Bend elementary school before police even arrived

And even CNN is admitting this would've been MUCH WORSE had that good guy with a gun NOT been there: "We can only imagine, had that person with a firearm NOT been there and taken that action... the fatalities and the casualties could be worse. This could've gone on longer!" — Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 15, 2026

Bend-La Pine School District previously prohibited everyone, including people with concealed-carry licenses, from carrying firearms on district property, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported in 2022. Krantz did not explain how that policy might relate to the bystander during Thursday’s press conference.

A separate provision of Oregon state law allows lawfully possessed firearms on school grounds when the weapons are unloaded and locked inside a vehicle, according to the outlet. Police had not publicly resolved the questions about the bystander’s weapon or permit.

“This is something we never want to happen anywhere, but especially in our beautiful community here in Bend. There are not really any words I can say to any of you that will make this better,” Krantz said.

“But please know that we are working hard to ensure that we conduct a thorough investigation.”

The shooting prompted officials to cancel all schools and activities across the Bend-La Pine district on Friday. Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steve Cook said crisis counseling would be made available to people affected by the tragedy.

“I don’t have any words for what this community is feeling right now. I don’t think anybody does,” Cook said during the press conference.

“We are heartbroken, we are horrified,” the superintendent said. His remarks reflected the devastation confronting families after four people were killed and two others were critically wounded at the elementary school.

Cook also urged families to stay close as the district and broader community confronted the aftermath. “Please hold your children, hold your loved ones tight tonight. Let them talk, let them cry.”

The superintendent said the community would come together to care for those affected. “Let them know we are going to rally and care for one another in this community.”

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