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3 children, 1 teacher killed in Oregon school shooting, authorities say

Three children and one adult were killed Thursday in a shooting at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon. The suspected shooter, a 16-year-old male, was shot dead by an armed bystander, police said.

The Deschutes County Dispatch said it received a 911 call at 12:59 p.m., local time, from a person in a vehicle reporting they had been shot at multiple times by a person with a long gun. That report was followed by multiple 911 calls reporting that a person had entered a building at Silver Rail Elementary School and opened fire. The preliminary investigation indicates the shooter forced their way into the school by firing at locked doors, according to authorities.

Police officers arrived on the scene at 1:02 p.m. and, seconds later, officers reported that the suspect had been shot and killed. The suspect was shot by a community member who saw the suspect enter the school and confronted him, according to authorities. Several police and first responders arrived on scene.

Authorities have not named the victims, shooter or bystander. The victims were children ages 5, 8 and 11 and a teacher, police said. The figures are preliminary, and authorities cautioned that the death toll could change as the investigation continues.

Two people, including a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher, were taken to nearby St. Charles Bend Hospital and remain in critical condition.

The shooter was a Bend resident, the city’s police chief, Mike Kantz, said at a press conference Thursday evening.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek praised the first responders and community member who intervened to stop the shooter, calling the tragedy heartbreaking.

“This is a horrible day,” Kotek said during a news conference Thursday evening. “No parent should have to have this kind of day, and no community should have to live through this kind of day.”

“To the community member who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life: Your actions carry a heavy emotional burden,” she added, “and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you, as well.”

Police set up a reunification site for parents and caregivers at nearby Journey Church. The Oregon Department of Emergency Management is coordinating the response across multiple state agencies. FBI Director Kash Patel said Thursday that the agency was on the scene and assisting local partners. “We will make every resource they need available,” Patel said on X.

All Bend-La Pine Schools are closed Friday, and all school activities have been canceled, according to the school district. Silver Rail Elementary School enrolls between 400 and 450 students, with an estimated 40 faculty members, according to police.

“Today, families in Bend are living through every parent’s worst nightmare,” said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of the anti-gun violence group Moms Demand Action. “No parent should have to wonder whether the school drop-off will be the last time they see their child.”

Marc Santia contributed to this report.

This story has been updated to include additional information about the suspected shooter and the bystander who allegedly killed him.

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Congressman says he was praying at Hindu temple during alleged mass shooting attempt

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi was worshipping at a Hindu temple in suburban Chicago over the weekend when a 19-year-old man allegedly attempted to carry out a mass shooting, the Illinois Democrat said Thursday.

Illinois State Police said they arrested Alexandros Paporakis of Palatine on Sunday, hours after authorities received a tip that he was planning to attack people of Indian descent at the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora. Paporakis’ co-workers at Taco Bell called 911 on Sunday after he told them he went to the temple to carry out the attack but his gun jammed and that he planned to try again, prosecutors said.

“I am horrified that a white supremacist attempted to carry out a mass shooting targeting Indian Americans at the Hindu temple in Aurora where my family worships,” Krishnamoorthi said in a statement. “My family and I were there when the attack was attempted last Sunday.”

“The threat of such violence shows how dangerous anti-Indian hatred and white supremacy have become, and we cannot wait until innocent people are killed to take these threats seriously,” he continued. “Every American deserves to live and worship without fear, and we must stand together against hatred in all its forms.”

Investigators recovered a rifle, multiple loaded rifle magazines, body armor and hundreds of rounds of rifle ammunition from Paporakis’ home, according to authorities. They also said they found an eight-page document in which Paporakis describes himself as a “sociopathic white supremacist Neo Nazi” and espouses racist views against South Asian communities, particularly those of Indian descent, as well as other nonwhite people, including Black and Jewish people.

Paporakis has been charged with making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of a weapon, which are both felonies. A judge on Wednesday ordered Paporakis to remain in custody pending trial, with his next court hearing scheduled for Oct. 30.

Several South Asian lawmakers expressed concern about the planned attack and support for Krishnamoorthi.

“I am incredibly grateful that local law enforcement thwarted this attempted mass shooting by a white supremacist and that the worshipers at this temple are safe,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said Thursday. “Attacks on South Asians have been on the rise, online and by leaders in our own government. This hate, racism, and violence are absolutely unacceptable, are traumatizing our communities, and must end.”

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who is Hindu, said in a video shared Thursday that he is “angered” by the attempted mass shooting at the temple.

“His evil is only surpassed by his ignorance,” Khanna said of the suspect. “Hinduism, ironically, is a faith that believes in nonviolence. This kind of hate crime has no place in our society.”

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