Governor Kotek Issues Statement on Silver Rail Elementary Shooting

Salem, OR - Today, Governor Tina Kotek released the following statement in response to the shooting this afternoon. 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."