Four people are dead, including three children, after a shooting Thursday at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon. Police responded just before 1 p.m. after an initial call reporting someone firing a gun into a car. Within minutes, additional callers reported a shooter inside the school. The suspected shooter was shot and killed inside the building, though officials have not said whether an officer or someone at the school fired that shot. At least two people were taken to a hospital, with children among the injured.
Families were directed to reunite at Journey Church on South Highway 97, and police asked the public to avoid the area. Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said the district is “stunned and heartbroken” and that its immediate focus is caring for students and staff while assisting law enforcement. Senator Ron Wyden also responded to the shooting as word spread across the state and the country.
For families here on the Suncoast, the news lands hard even from three thousand miles away. If you’re looking for something concrete to do today, it’s a good time to check in with your own child’s school about its safety plan and reunification procedures. What questions do you have about school safety in our community? Let us know.
