A teenager aged 16 forced entry into an elementary school in Bend, Oregon, by firing at secured entrances on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of three students and one educator. A bystander who entered the building after him shot the perpetrator, according to officials.

Authorities discovered the suspect deceased within the school building shortly following the initial reports of gunfire, as stated by Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz.

The victims among the children were 5, 8, and 11 years old. A 7-year-old student and a 54-year-old teacher sustained critical injuries and were hospitalized, he added.

The initial emergency call arrived just before 1 p.m. from an individual in a car outside Silver Rail Elementary reporting shots fired from a long gun, Krantz informed the media. Additional calls originated from inside the school, with officers reaching the location within minutes, according to police spokesperson Sheila Miller.

The Bend resident attacker was shot and collapsed inside the school soon after police arrival, she noted.

Officials indicated uncertainty regarding whether the shooter had any acquaintances at the school or prior attendance there.

Students were transported via bus to a local church acting as a family reunification site. Parents embraced their children, holding hands and carrying comfort items like stuffed toys as they departed.

Bend's Silver Rail Elementary, located roughly 125 miles southeast of Portland, enrolled 459 pupils last year per the Oregon Department of Education, serving kindergarten through fifth grade.

This high-desert community has seen significant population growth in recent decades and serves as a center for tourism and outdoor activities near Mount Bachelor.

All activities including classes were suspended Friday across the 32 schools in the Bend-La Pine district.

This incident marks the 28th mass killing in the United States this year, based on records from The Associated Press, USA Today, and Northeastern University.

The perpetrator employed a pump-action shotgun acquired by his mother, per a law enforcement source familiar with the case who spoke anonymously to The Associated Press.

During a press briefing, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek expressed profound sorrow and commended the civilian intervenor.

"The community member who bravely acted to prevent additional casualties bears a significant emotional weight, and my thoughts are with them too," she remarked.

Associated Press journalist Hannah Schoenbaum contributed reporting.