16-Year-Old Oregon Shooter Reportedly Used a Pump-Action Shotgun Purchased by His Own Mother

A 16-year-old gunman killed three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday. The weapon in the Bend school shooting was reportedly a pump-action shotgun bought by his mother, a law enforcement official briefed on the case told The Associated Press.

Police have not yet confirmed the type of firearm used. Authorities say no information about the weapon has been verified at this time.

What Happened in the Bend School Shooting

Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz told a news conference that Deschutes County dispatch took a call at 12.59pm. The caller, sitting in a vehicle, said they were being 'shot at multiple times by a person with a long gun'.

'Dozens' of 911 calls followed, Krantz said, reporting a shooter inside the K-5 school. Police say the teenager shot the locks off the doors to get in. By 1.01pm the school was in lockdown. Officers arrived at 1.02pm and learned the suspect was already dead.

A community member had watched him enter the building, followed him and engaged him, Krantz said. That person has not been named. Police have not said how far inside the gunman got.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek said the person 'heroically intervened to stop further loss of life'.

Victims and Those Injured

The dead are three students, aged 5, 8 and 11, and a teacher. Their names have not been made public, though Krantz said all the families have been told. A 7-year-old student and a 54-year-old teacher are in a critical condition at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend.

Silver Rail has more than 400 pupils from kindergarten to fifth grade. Buses took children to a reunification point at nearby Journey Church, where families waited.

Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Dr Steven Cook spoke to staff with audible emotion. 'To our staff, you did what no one should have to do,' he said. 'I am so grateful for your efforts.' Mayor Melanie Kebler called it an 'awful day for our community'.

Questions Over the Bend School Shooting Weapon

The reported link to his mother matters because of how Oregon law works. A person must be 18 to buy a rifle or shotgun, and selling firearms to minors is illegal.

Yet under-18s may legally possess them with parental consent, and they can use non-handgun firearms for lawful reasons such as hunting or target practice. Whether any of that applies here is unknown.

Authorities have not said how the teenager got hold of the gun. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives received results of an urgent trace on Thursday evening, according to a source familiar with the investigation. The result has not been released.

Nor has the suspect's name. Police are still working out why he went to the school, and whether he had any connection to it. They also did not say how many shots he fired or how much ammunition he carried.

Leah Schwartz, who was walking near the school, told NBC News she heard at least six shots. 'They were spaced out, which made us question whether it was gunshots or someone doing construction,' she said.

Krantz said the response drew on rehearsal. 'Unfortunately this is something we trained for on a regular basis,' he said. 'And we must.'

Investigation, Timeline and Lingering Questions

A heavy police presence will remain at the school for several days. 'This is going to be a long investigation,' Krantz said. The ATF and the FBI are assisting, and the Oregon Department of Emergency Management is coordinating state agencies.

All Bend-La Pine schools, along with activities and athletic events, were cancelled on Friday. Crisis counsellors were made available to pupils and residents.

There is a discrepancy in the official account. Early police comments said officers arrived within five minutes, but the timeline Krantz gave puts the first arrival at 1.02pm, three minutes after the first call. IBTimes UK cannot independently verify which figure is correct.

Authorities have not yet said how the 16-year-old obtained the shotgun.