Four Killed at Bend Elementary School as Teacher and Parent Confront Teen Gunman
A 16-year-old shot his way into Silver Rail Elementary on Thursday. Investigators are now asking how he got the gun, and the central Oregon city is asking why.
BEND, Ore. On Thursday afternoon, a 16-year-old boy shot his way into Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend and killed three children and a teacher. The attack lasted only minutes. Police were first alerted around 12:59 p.m., and officers reached the scene by 1:02 p.m. By then, two adults had already stopped the gunman. (Wikipedia)
Three minutes that began outside the school
Chief Mike Krantz of the Bend Police Department said the first call came from someone outside the building who reported being shot at. Video from the area shows a red Toyota pickup with several bullet holes. A senior law enforcement official told CNN the teenager dropped a shotgun over a fence, then climbed over it. Police say a second driver saw the shooting, parked in the school lot, and took his own licensed handgun from his vehicle. (What we know: Oregon school shooting timeline, suspect, investigation and more +2)
The teen then fired “multiple rounds” into the glass panes of the school’s locked doors, according to Krantz. He went into the classroom immediately to the left of the entrance and fired as many as 15 rounds overall, Krantz said, though the number fired inside is still being determined. Police directed the school to lock down at 1:01 p.m. (Oregon school shooting: 3 kids, teacher killed at Bend elementary school, shooter identified +2)
All of the victims were in one room. Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said it was a special-needs classroom with students of mixed ages. (CNN)
Two interventions
Police credit two people with limiting the toll. A teacher tackled the gunman and struggled with him, and police say she also threw her cellphone at him. She has not been publicly named. The second was Kaylub Giamanco, a lifelong Bend resident and father of two girls at the school. His mother, Kenda Freeman, identified him in a statement read to reporters Friday. Police did not confirm his name, and early reports spelled his first name differently. He followed the teen inside and shot him, police said. (Time) (PBS)
Freeman said her son is not seeking recognition and wants to thank first responders, school staff and the community. President Donald Trump called him a “great hero” when asked about it Friday. Krantz said the pair’s actions likely prevented more deaths. (PBS)
The victims
The children killed were 5, 8 and 11 years old. Only one has been publicly identified. Police named the 5-year-old as Rhoam Summer. His father, Kelik Summer, wrote on Facebook that Thursday was the worst day of his life and that his family was surrounded by people helping them cope. (3 children, 1 teacher killed in shooting at Bend, Oregon, elementary school; teen suspect dead +2)
The teacher killed was Meghan Lambert, 25. Her family said in a statement that she loved Silver Rail. Family members also said it was her first full-time teaching job after years as a substitute at the school. (yahoo) (NBC News)
Two others were wounded and taken to a hospital: a 7-year-old girl and a 54-year-old staff member. The staff member’s family identified her as Becky Drury. Her mother-in-law said she had injuries to her arm and hand and was recovering from surgery. Outlets have described her as both a teacher and an educational assistant. (CNN) (cbc)
The gunman and the gun
Police named the shooter at Friday’s briefing. This article does not repeat the name. Superintendent Cook said he was a former Silver Rail student who had received special-education services, and he was not enrolled in the district at the time of the attack. Authorities have not said whether he knew any of the victims or why he chose the school. Police say a motive is still under investigation. (NBC News) (nbc16)
The weapon is a central question. Krantz said it was a Maverick 88 pump-action 12-gauge shotgun. Several officials told NBC News that the teen’s mother bought it around the time of his birthday in August. The Associated Press cited a law enforcement official who spoke anonymously because they weren’t authorized to discuss the case. Police have not confirmed the purchase on the record. (Live updates: Father and teacher hailed for preventing further tragedy in Bend, Oregon, school shooting +2)
Under Oregon law, a minor may possess a shotgun if a parent or someone with a parent’s consent provides it. Buying one requires being 18. Officials said investigators are examining how the teenager came to have the gun, and that his mother has cooperated so far. Speaking to reporters outside her apartment, she apologized to the victims’ families and said her son was a “good boy.” No charges have been announced against anyone, and nothing in public reporting says what she knew beforehand. (PBS) (NBC News)
A community in shock
Hundreds gathered Thursday night for a vigil at Drake Park. Mayor Melanie Kebler said the city had suffered a loss for which there are no words. Parents described frantic reunions at the church where students were taken. A fifth-grader’s mother told NBC News her son texted that there had been a shooting but that he was fine. Another parent said her third-grader was upstairs when the shots rang out. (katu) (NBC News)
Brooke Olsen, whose daughter is a Silver Rail kindergartner, called it miraculous that a community member got there before law enforcement. Police said a large law enforcement presence will remain at the school for several days. (PBS)
Federal involvement and the national backdrop
FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau was assisting Bend police. The ATF is also helping, and the FBI has opened a tip line. (nbc16) (koin)
Beyond Bend, the attack arrives amid a long-running national argument over school safety and firearms. CNN’s analysis of data from the Gun Violence Archive, Education Week and Everytown for Gun Safety counts this as the 36th shooting on K-12 school grounds this year. Those tallies use differing definitions, so counts vary by source. Rep. Janelle Bynum, a Democrat whose district includes Bend, said children should be doing arts and crafts, not using desks as cover from gunfire. Others have emphasized the role of armed bystanders, as Trump did. Both reactions are opinions, and the facts of what happened and what could have prevented it are still being established. (Time) (Time)
What remains unknown
Several questions are open. Police have not given a motive, and they haven’t said whether the teen left writings or digital messages. They haven’t said whether he had prior contact with law enforcement. The exact sequence inside the classroom, including how many shots were fired and when each victim was hit, is still under review. The names of the two other child victims had not been released as of Saturday.
