Arabic version: مقتل أربعة في إطلاق نار بمدرسة ابتدائية في أوريغون

According to BBC News, a 16-year-old killed three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, before being shot dead by a bystander on Thursday afternoon.

Police said the unnamed suspect forced his way into the primary school by shooting at locked doors. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said a community member pursued the teenager into the school and “engaged him”. Officers arrived three minutes later, confirmed the attacker had been killed and searched the building.

The children who died were aged five, eight and 11. A seven-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to hospital with critical injuries, police said. Authorities have not released the identities of the victims, the suspect or the bystander.

Emergency services were called at 12:59 local time after reports of an active shooter. Police said the first caller reported that an unknown suspect was shooting at their car with a long gun. Multiple 911 calls later reported that the attacker had entered the school.

Police said the suspect was a local 16-year-old boy but gave no further details while the investigation continues. It remains unclear whether he had any link to the school. Bend schools were closed on Friday, while officials said the community needed time to heal.