Oregon Democrats demand gun laws after school shooting

Democratic lawmakers renewed calls for stricter gun regulations after a 16-year-old broke into Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, and fatally shot three children and a teacher on Thursday. The attacker, who used a shotgun purchased by his mother according to The Associated Press, was killed by an armed bystander during the incident at the school, which is located about 125 miles southeast of Portland.

Sen. Ron Wyden, who has represented Oregon in the Senate since 1996, issued a statement urging the passage of common-sense gun laws to reduce the risk of similar tragedies. He argued that honoring the victims requires passing legislation that prevents children, parents, teachers and staff from living in fear of such nightmares. Sen. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., also spoke out on Thursday night, declaring that the epidemic of gun violence in American schools must end. "No parent should have to wonder if their child will come home at the end of the day," Bonamici stated. "Children deserve to feel safe and be safe in school."

Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Ore., who represents the 5th Congressional District including Bend, attended a nighttime vigil for the victims. The children killed were aged 5, 8 and 11. Bynum questioned why lawmakers had not acted sooner to ensure that individuals who should not have firearms do not possess them. "When are we going to practice that same bravery that that bystander had?" Bynum asked KTVZ 21, a local NBC station in Bend. While Sen. Jeff Merkley and Gov. Tina Kotek condemned the violence in schools, their statements did not explicitly call for new gun regulations.

Lawmakers from other states offered more pointed criticism of current federal measures. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., argued that reforms passed following the Uvalde school shooting, such as enhanced background checks for buyers under 21, were insufficient. "Much more must be done. Not a single child should be lost to gun violence. Ever," Heinrich wrote on social media. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., cited over 50 school shootings this year and called for Congress to take further action to prevent gun violence.

Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz stated that the first emergency call came at 12:59 p.m. from a person in a vehicle who reported being shot at by someone carrying a long gun. Officers arrived within three minutes of that initial call. Authorities are still investigating how the teenager obtained the weapon and whether he had any prior connection to the school. Silver Rail Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade students and has an enrollment of 467 for the current academic year.

Following the shooting, students were transported to a nearby church serving as a family reunification center. The Bend-La Pine school district canceled classes, sporting events and extracurricular activities for Friday across all 32 of its schools.