Oregon elementary school shooting: what we know so far

A teenage gunman opened fire in the city of Bend, killing four people and leaving two more in critical condition, before he was shot and killed by a bystander

A 16-year-old gunman opened fire at the Silver Rail elementary school in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday, authorities said, killing three children and a teacher.

The student victims are aged five, eight and 11. Their names have not yet been released, and authorities said their families had been notified.

The 16-year-old shooter was found dead at the scene. Police said that an armed bystander pursued the suspect and shot him inside the school shortly before officers arrived.

Two other victims, a seven-year-old and a 54-year-old, have been hospitalized. As of Friday morning they remained in critical condition, according to police.

Police arrived at the school at 1.02pm local time after receiving multiple reports of a shooting. One 911 caller reported an individual armed with a long gun firing upon their car. Police said the gunman forced entry into the building by shooting at locked doors, but did not identify the make of the firearm they used.

The teenage shooter was a resident of the town, police said, but their name has not been released. Police have yet to provide a motive for the shooting and said they were still investigating if he had ties to the school.

The attack has rocked the small city of Bend, which is home to 100,000 residents and is located on the Deschutes River, about 170 miles south-east of Portland. All public schools in the district, and campuses of Oregon State University-Cascades and Central Oregon Community College, will be closed on Friday.

Hundreds gathered at nearby Drake Park on Thursday night at a somber candlelight ceremony to remember the victims. Some attenders called on authorities to harden gun laws in Oregon, already some of the tightest in the nation.

Officials have praised the swift actions of law enforcement officers and of the community member who intervened. The Oregon governor, Tina Kotek, praised the intervention as heroic and extended her thoughts to the bystander. Your actions carry a heavy emotional burden," she said on Thursday evening.

The FBI is helping local authorities investigate the shooting, according to the agency's director, Kash Patel.