Silver Rail Shooting: Community Responds to Silver Rail Elementary School Shooting
Central Oregon’s Senator Anthony Broadman (D – Bend) and Senator Mike McLane (R – Powell Butte) have the following statements in response to the shooting deaths and injuries at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend:
“As a father and a neighbor, I grieve and pray for the families who face devastating loss today. Knowing that children and an educator had their lives cut short by violence, in a place that should be safe and full of vitality, troubles the soul of every good human being,” said Senator Broadman. “Oregonians in all corners of the state will wrap this community in love and support.”
“Central Oregon is devastated. We are grieving. We are horrified by the senseless violence,” said Senator McLane. “Our hearts are with the Silver Rail Elementary community and Bend.”
Bend-LaPine Schools have announced counseling will be available to anyone in the community who needs it tomorrow, October 16, at Central Library in Bend.
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The Bend Education Association, representing approximately 1,000 teachers and other certified educators in Bend-La Pine Schools, including at Silver Rail Elementary School, expressed heartbreak and solidarity with all impacted by today’s shooting:
We emphasize the need for privacy and continued support for affected students, families, and staff.
“Every day, families trust us with the people they love most. Our children, our students, are precious,” said Sarah Barclay, BEA President and kindergarten teacher. “What happened at Silver Rail today reaches deeply into our entire community. Our hearts are with everyone affected.”
“When violence happens in one of our schools, it reaches far beyond that building,” Barclay said. “It affects our families, our colleagues, and communities across our country. Every student and every person who works in our schools deserves to be safe.”
Barclay recognized the immediate response from local police and law enforcement agencies across the area, as well as the many Bend-La Pine Schools administrators and District Office staff who assisted at the reunification site.
“In an incredibly frightening moment, people came together to care for our children, families, and colleagues,” Barclay said. “That response reinforced how deeply we all love this community, and I am grateful to work beside these educators.”
BEA asks members of the public and the media to respect the privacy of students, families, and staff and to rely on official District and law enforcement communications for verified information about the incident.
OEA President Enrique Farrera comments from Bend ““We are heartbroken and devastated by the tragic shooting at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend. Our hearts are with the families grieving and those who have been injured. Our union is here to support every student, educator, school employee, and the community who are impacted by this horrific tragedy.”
Farrera continued “Schools should be the safest places in every community. Every student, educator and school employee deserves to learn and work without fear of violence. Our focus is to support the students, educators, and communities reeling from this loss.”
“The people affected will need care and support well beyond today,” Barclay said. “Every student and every person who works in our schools deserves to be safe. Our care for one another must continue in the days and weeks ahead.”
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Governor Kotek Issues Statement on Silver Rail Elementary Shooting - Three children and one adult were killed. One adult and one child were injured. The suspected shooter was sixteen years old and was also killed.
“I want to start by thanking and praising the quick thinking and courage of the Silver Rail Elementary School staff and parents – and the first responders who rushed to the scene.
And to the community member who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life, your actions carry a heavy emotional burden – and my thoughts are with you.
Almost exactly a year ago, I was at Silver Rail Elementary. I spent time with educators and community members calling parents to thank them for the great progress their kids were making in attending school. I heard the joy and excitement about their school.
My heart is absolutely broken. Our hearts will stay broken in the days and weeks ahead. My daily prayers will be with this community, with the children, with the parents.
All Oregonians mourn the loss of life today. This is a horrible day. No parent should have this day. No community should live through this day.
As we learn more about the children and the adult victims who died or were injured — and their families and their loved ones — we will weep together, and we will weep quietly to ourselves.
We must come together and support each other, neighbor to neighbor, Oregonian to Oregonian.
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management is coordinating across multiple state agencies, and the state stands ready to support the community in whatever it needs.
There will be time for answering all the questions we have and search for more ways to prevent this kind of violence from happening.
But for now, let us hold each other close in our grief, and put as much love into the world as possible.”
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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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Deschutes County Commissioner Patti Adair, candidate for Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, released this statement today:
“My heart is shattered for the families, students, and victims of today’s horrific shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon. I am praying for everyone impacted. No words can fully express the pain our community is feeling right now. I am temporarily suspending all campaign events to stand with those grieving and offer whatever support I can.”
“This evening, I will join our community in mourning at the candlelight vigil at Drake Park in Bend at 6:30 p.m. Please keep the victims, their loved ones, and all first responders in your prayers during this difficult time.”
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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.
