Three children and a teacher have been killed in a shooting at a primary school in Bend, Oregon, in the United States.
Police say the suspected gunman, a 16-year-old boy, was shot dead by a community member who confronted him inside the school.
According to Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz, the teenager forced his way into Silver Rail Elementary School on Thursday afternoon by firing at locked doors.
The three children killed were aged five, eight and 11. A seven-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to hospital in critical condition.
Police say the first emergency call was received at 12:59 local time after a person reported that an unknown suspect was shooting at their vehicle with a long gun. Further emergency calls were received minutes later, reporting that the attacker had entered the school.
A community member witnessed the unfolding violence, followed the suspect into the building and shot him dead. Police officers arrived approximately three minutes later and confirmed that the attacker had been killed before searching the premises.
Authorities have not yet established whether the suspect had any connection to the school. His identity and those of the victims have not been released.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek praised the community member for intervening, saying the individual had acted heroically to prevent further loss of life. She also acknowledged the emotional toll of the incident.
Steven Cook, the senior administrative official of the local school district, expressed shock and grief over the tragedy.
“We are stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy,” Cook said in a statement.
“No words can adequately express the grief our community is experiencing.”
Silver Rail Elementary School has approximately 450 pupils and more than 40 staff members. Schools in Bend were closed on Friday to allow the community time to grieve and recover.
The shooting has once again drawn attention to school violence in the United States. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, 235 shooting incidents were recorded at American schools last year, with at least 140 reported so far this year.