Five people are dead after a shooting Thursday at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon. The victims include three children, ages 5, 8, and 11, a teacher, and the shooter. Police responded just before 1 p.m. after an initial call about someone firing a gun into a car, followed within minutes by reports of a shooter inside the school. According to the police chief, a person at the school shot and killed the shooter. CNN later reported the shooter was a 16-year-old boy.
Two people were taken to the hospital: a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher. Families were directed to a reunification site at Journey Church on South Highway 97 in Bend. Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said the district is “stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy,” and Sen. Ron Wyden issued a statement saying no words can adequately express the grief the community is experiencing.
For parents here on the Suncoast, this story raises familiar questions about school security, emergency communication, and how quickly help can arrive. Do you know your child’s school reunification plan and where you would go if the worst happened? Let us know in the comments.
