Washington, 16 October (H.S.): At least three children and one adult were killed in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon. The 16-year-old suspect was also shot by another person at the scene and later died. Oregon is a major state in the Pacific Northwest region of the western United States.

According to a report by CBS News, Sheila Miller, a spokesperson for the Bend Police Department, said at a press conference that at least two people had been taken to St. Charles Medical Centre. The victims included children. Miller said the total number of victims had not yet been confirmed.

Miller said police received a call shortly before 1 p.m. local time on Thursday reporting that a person was firing shots at a car. According to the police statement, multiple calls were made to 911 approximately one minute later, reporting that the individual had entered the school and begun firing.

She said officers arrived at the scene within three minutes. Shortly afterwards, it became clear that the suspected shooter had died. Miller said authorities had not yet established who had shot the suspect, adding that someone present at the scene might have fired at him.

A large police contingent was deployed around the school and a nearby church as authorities responded to the incident.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency’s local personnel had also arrived at the scene. In response to the tragedy, classes and sports activities at all schools in the district were cancelled for Friday.

Steven Cook, superintendent of Bend-La Pine Schools, said, “We are stunned and deeply shocked by this tragedy. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and everyone affected by this violence.”

Bend is located in central Oregon, approximately 150 miles southeast of Portland.

According to figures from the K-12 School Shooting Database, there were 235 shooting incidents at K-12 schools across the United States last year. At least 149 such incidents had been recorded in the country so far this year.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar