Oregon school mass shooting leaves five dead, including three children

Three children and one teacher have been killed in a shooting at an elementary school in the northwestern US state of Oregon, police said, in which the shooter was also killed.

"The deceased at the scene include three children, ages five, eight, and 11, and one teacher," Mike Krantz, Chief of Police at the Bend Police Department, told reporters on Thursday hours after the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School.

"We have identified the suspect as a 16-year-old Bend resident," Krantz said, adding that "the suspect had been shot by a community member who had seen the suspect enter the school and pursued him into the school and engaged him."

Officials said they were alerted to respond to a critical scene at 1:00 pm local time, and that police were on the scene approximately two minutes later.

The school is more than 160 kilometres southeast of the city Portland. It serves primary-age students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said they are "stunned and heartbroken by this senseless tragedy."

Cook extended his deepest sympathy to the families and to everyone affected by "the 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," he said.

World's most heavily armed society

The United States, where firearms are readily available, is a frequent scene of gun violence, with thousands of people killed every year.

It has the highest rate of gun-related deaths among all developed nations.

The deadliest school shooting in US history took place at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007, when South Korean student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people and wounded 17 others before taking his own life.

There have been more than 360 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as four or more people shot.

Persistent mass shootings in the US have repeatedly heightened public calls for stricter federal gun control measures.

Despite repeated calls over the years, the US Congress has yet to enact such restrictions.

The United States holds the highest rate of civilian firearm ownership globally, making it the world's most heavily armed society.

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Source: TRT