LIVE UPDATES: Community Responds to Silver Rail Elementary School Shooting
Vigil Planned for Drake Park, Bend, OR – 7pm, October 15 – Local clergy and leaders have planned a vigil for 7pm in Drake Park in response to the active shooter event at Silver Rail Elementary. Mayor Kebler and Senator Broadman will provide brief remarks. The public is invited.
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Officials to hold 5:30 p.m. media conference regarding Silver Rail Elementary active shooter incident
Officials will hold a media conference at 5:30 p.m. today, Oct. 15, in Council Chambers at Bend City Hall to provide an update regarding this afternoon’s active shooter incident at Silver Rail Elementary.
Representatives from the Bend Police Department, Bend-La Pine Schools, City of Bend and Office of the Governor will participate to provide information regarding the incident and answer questions from the media.
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Statement from Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook:
“We are stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy. We extend our deepest sympathy to the families and to everyone affected by this violence. No words can adequately express the grief our community is experiencing. Our immediate priorities are caring for our students and staff and assisting law enforcement and emergency responders.”
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State Senator Christine Drazen released the following statement on social media:
My heart is with the students, families, teachers and staff facing an unimaginable tragedy at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend. I am praying for everyone impacted and for the law enforcement officers and first responders who responded so swiftly to this horrific incident. We have to commit to protecting our kids. We have to put a complete stop to shootings at our schools. This has to end.
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Bend, OR – UPDATE FROM CENTRAL OREGON COMMUNITY COLLEGE: In response to today’s tragic events at Silver Rail Elementary School and the Bend-La Pine Schools closure, COCC will close all campuses and facilities on Friday, Oct. 16.
All classes and college operations are canceled for the day. Normal operations will resume following Friday’s closure.
To anyone in our COCC community who is impacted, please know that your well-being and the safety of your loved ones come first. We recognize that situations like this can bring up a range of emotions, even for those without a direct connection to the school. Please remember that COCC is here to support you and offers free, confidential personal counseling. You can make an appointment by calling 541-366-6482 or emailing shay@collaborativehealingbend.com.
SALEM, Ore. — Governor Tina Kotek released the following statement following the Silver Rail Elementary School shooing in Bend
"As we learn more about the tragic event at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend today, we must come together and support each other, neighbor to neighbor, Oregonian to Oregonian. No community should have to live through this day."
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SALEM, Ore. — Today, House Republican Leader Lucetta Elmer (R-McMinnville) and Central Oregon Representative, Vikki Breese Iverson (R-Prineville) responded to breaking reports involving an active shooter incident at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, OR.
“Words can’t express the heartbreak of hearing that the Bend community has experienced such unnecessary violence. I am grateful to the Bend Police Department and first responders who responded quickly to the scene.
My heart is with every student, parent, teacher, and family member affected by this tragedy. Every parent should be able to send their child to school with the confidence that they will be safe, and every child deserves to learn in an environment free from fear,” said Leader Elmer.
“The senseless violence against our children today is heartbreaking. My commitment is to the families, students, and teachers as we learn details of today’s horrific event. I’m grateful to every first responder who stepped in with urgency to protect our community. May the weight of God sit heavy with any soul who justifies this evil deed,” said Rep. Breese Iverson.
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Portland, OR – Senator Ron Wyden today issued the following statement in regards to the Silver Rail Elementary school shooting in Bend, Oregon.
“My heart goes out to the innocent victims of today’s horrific shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School and their loved ones now facing the awful consequences of yet another school shooting in America. The best way to honor these victims is to at long last pass common-sense gun laws that reduce the risks of more children, parents, teachers and staff forced to live in fear of similar nightmares for their schools.”
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Bend, OR – Today, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) released the following statement following the Silver Rail Elementary School shooting in Bend.
“They’re killing our babies. Shredding our kids with lead. Forcing us to live in fear,” said Rep. Bynum. “I feel this deep, deep, deep in my soul. Our whole community does. Our whole state does. And the whole nation should. Our babies are supposed to do arts and crafts at school, not use their desks as cover from gunfire. They’re supposed to make friends, not mourn them. This is every parent's worst fear. My heart and my prayers and everything else I got is with the families at Silver Rail Elementary. When will it end?”
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Youth Peace & Justice Foundation, also known as The Uvalde Foundation For Kids, is opening its crisis support services following the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon. Police confirmed multiple victims, including children, and said at least two people were transported to a hospital. The suspected shooter is dead. The investigation remains ongoing, and the conditions of those injured have not been confirmed in the reporting reviewed.
Crisis Support and Services Available
The foundation is making the following services available to individuals seeking help related to the shooting and its aftermath:
- 24-hour online peer crisis counseling for individuals who need someone to talk to during a difficult or frightening time.
- Crisis support and referrals to help individuals identify appropriate services and resources.
- Family assistance navigation to help families find community resources and potential sources of emergency assistance.
- Emergency assistance assessment to review requests and determine what help may be available based on individual circumstances and available resources.
- Community crisis reporting through the foundation’s website for individuals seeking to report concerns or request support.
How to Reach the Foundation
Telephone: (254) 499-8027
Website: youthpeaceandjusticefoundation.com
Visit the website and select the Community Response and crisis-reporting option.
