The victims were children aged 5, 8 and 11, while a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were critically injured and taken to hospital, Bend Police Department Chief Mike Krantz said at a news conference Thursday evening.

Police have not released the names of the victims or the suspect, and the motive for the shooting remains unclear.

According to Krantz, Deschutes County Dispatch received the first report of an active shooter at 12:59 p.m. local time from a person in a vehicle who said someone armed with a long gun had fired at them multiple times.

The suspect then forced his way into the school by shooting through locked doors, prompting authorities to alert law enforcement at 1 p.m. and place the school in lockdown one minute later.

Officers arrived at 1:02 p.m., moments after a report that a community member had shot the suspect.

Although police did not identify the weapon used, a law enforcement official briefed on the incident told The Associated Press that the suspect had a pump-action shotgun.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek praised the community member for intervening and potentially preventing further casualties, while acknowledging the emotional toll of the incident.

“Your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you as well,” Kotek said.

The shooting prompted an outpouring of grief and condemnation from officials across the United States, renewing calls for action to address gun violence and school shootings.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon said on X that she was “heartbroken by the horrific shooting,” adding that her prayers were with the students, school staff, their families and the wider community.

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and former Rep. Gabby Giffords condemned the violence in a joint video message, saying, “these mass shootings, and shootings in elementary schools, are just like the worst thing that happens in our country.”

They added, “it is horrible, it’s disgraceful and it’s got to stop.”

California Attorney General Rob Bonta also expressed devastation, declaring, “Gun violence is a stain on our nation. We must come together to stop it.”

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen described the shooting as “a senseless act” and called for stronger gun safety laws, saying, “we need to pass gun safety laws now. Anyone who stands in the way is complicit.”

Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler voiced the community’s grief, emphasizing the need for schools to remain places of safety.

“Our hearts are broken,” Kebler said. “A school should be a safe place where children can learn and feel secure. What happened today should never happen.”

The shooting was the 36th incident involving gunfire on K-12 school grounds in the United States this year, according to a CNN data analysis.