An active shooter was reported on Thursday, Oct. 15 at Silver Rail Elementary school in Southeast Bend. Credit: Silver Rail Elementary School
Alleged assailant is dead, with two victims transported to the hospital
by Clayton Franke, Dallas Finn Calvert, Nicole Vulcan and Peter Madsen
Police responded to reports of an active shooter at Silver Rail Elementary in southeast Bend, according to an alert police sent out Thursday afternoon.
An active shooter was reported on Thursday, Oct. 15 at Silver Rail Elementary school in Southeast Bend. Credit: Silver Rail Elementary School
The alert at 1:17 p.m. came with limited details but described a “large police presence” at the school, encouraging the public to avoid the area.
Ten minutes later, police announced a reunification location for families was set up at Journey Church, 61303 S Highway 97 near Goodwill and Dairy Queen. “Students’ families are asked to respond there,” the alert said.
According to Bend Police spokesperson Sheila Miller, police received a report of an active shooter at 12:58pm, and responded to the school at 1:02 pm. Within moments, the shooter was dead, Miller said, adding that it’s not yet clear who shot the shooter.
Two other people were transported to St. Charles Medical Center in unknown condition. Children are among the victims, Miller said.
Police were still working to clear the building Thursday afternoon.
Source reporters on the ground spoke with Justin Penfield, who shared photos of a truck allegedly shot at by the shooter before entering the school. Reports from the ground are that a man carrying a gun threw his gun over the school fence, where he was spotted by a passerby who confronted him. The man shot at the passerby’s truck, shattering a back window, which caused the passerby to flee, friends of the victim said. The gunman then entered the special education area of the school, witnesses reported to the Source. Bend Police confirmed they’re investigating the report of shots being fired into a vehicle.
Justin Penfield shared this photo of the shot-out window of a truck being driven by a passerby who allegedly saw the shooter with a gun and confronted him outside the school. Credit: Justin Penfield
Parents received alerts that nearby schools including Caldera High School and Jewell Elementary went into lockdown Thursday afternoon, but those alerts were lifted as of 2pm Thursday.
Other law enforcement officials were on the scene Thursday afternoon, including the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Bend Fire and Redmond Police.
Bend Police Respond to Active Shooter at Silver Rail Elementary; Children Among the Victims