Death Toll Confirmed

Four people were killed in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, United States, on Thursday (10/15/2026) local time. Three of the four victims were children, while the fourth was an adult, according to preliminary information from a law enforcement source cited by CNN.

The shooter, a 16-year-old male, also died inside the school. Police found him already lifeless when they arrived at the scene at about 1 p.m. local time. Bend Police spokesperson Sheila Miller said the shooter was likely stopped by a bystander at the scene.

At least two other people were taken to the hospital. According to a law enforcement source cited by USA Today, another child and another adult are now being treated in critical condition.

Timeline: From a Car to the School Building

The first 911 call came in at 12:59 p.m. local time: an unknown man was reported shooting into a car near the school. Moments later, a series of 911 calls reported a man entering the school building and opening fire.

Officers arrived at the scene at 1:02 p.m. — just three minutes after the first call. But the shooter was already dead inside the school by the time police went in. Police have not confirmed who shot the gunman; according to Miller, he was most likely stopped by a bystander legally carrying a weapon.

The school, home to more than 400 students from kindergarten through fifth grade, was immediately placed on lockdown. Police opened a family reunification point at Journey Church, and school buses later transported students and staff to the location.

FBI Steps In, Schools Closed

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is at the scene and assisting the ongoing investigation. FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau would make every resource available to local police.

In response to the tragedy, all schools in the Bend-La Pine district are closed on Friday (10/16/2026) and all extracurricular and athletic activities have been canceled, according to USA Today.

Bend-La Pine school district superintendent Steven Cook expressed deep condolences to the victims' families. Oregon Senator Ron Wyden also offered sympathies and once again questioned when gun violence at American schools would end.

36th School Shooting This Year

According to a CNN analysis of data from the Gun Violence Archive, Education Week, and Everytown for Gun Safety, there have been at least 52 school shootings across the United States this year, leaving at least 28 people dead and 48 others injured.

The tragedy at Silver Rail Elementary marks the 36th shooting on K-12 school grounds this year. Bend city officials were scheduled to hold a follow-up news conference Thursday evening local time. The case remains under investigation.