BEND Oregon: A deadly and horrifying shooting took place in the area of The Forum Shopping Center in Bend, Oregon, late Sunday evening, as the police responded to the reports of an active shooter situation that left three people dead, including the alleged suspect.
In a news conference at around 11 PM local time, Bend police confirmed that a gunman killed two people at the Safeway store while one was trasnported to the hospital after receiving multiple injuries. They also revealed that the gunman was also found dead on the scene.
Bend, Oregon Shooting at The Forum Shopping Center: What Happened?
Bend Police reported that the shooter is believed to have entered the shopping center parking lot at 2550 Northeast Highway 20 from the back side by Costco and then fired shots into Big Lots. He then entered the west entrance of Safeway.
He shot one person at the grocery strore entrance, and then the shooter moved deeper into the store. There, he shot and killed a second person while another person received a bullet.
The police said they heard gunshots when they entered the Safeway but found the suspected shooter, a man, already dead. They confirmed that they found an AR-15-style rifle and shotgun “in close proximity to the shooter” when they arrived.
The investigation is going on as Bend police, Oregon State Police, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies, Oregon State Police and Bend Fire & Rescue medics converged on the scene, including numerous armed officers and armored vehicles arrive at the scene amidst reports one or more suspects may have left the area.
3 People Dead in Bend, Oregon Shooting; 1 Injured
Medics and first responders rushed to The Forum Shopping Center just after 7 PM after numerous reports of gunshots arrived. They transported the initial person shot to a nearby hospital where the victim was pronounced dead.
The police confirmed there was one other person with non-life threatening injuries admitted to the hospital. The second person and the alleged suspect were found dead on the crime scene. Their bodies were sent for autopsy to the nearby medical examiner’s office.
St. Charles spokeswoman Lisa Goodman confirmed that they had receive two people, one who was dead on arrival and the other in stable condition. She stated that the hospital had been placed in a lockout a short time later.
Eye-witnesses reveal horrifying details of the shooting
He said his wife had stayed in the car as she was not feeling well while went shopping with their four children. “About 10 minutes later, we started heading to the front. Then we heard I don’t know how many shots out front – six or seven. I immediately turned to my children and said, ‘Run!’ People were screaming. … it was a horrifying experience.”
He was extremely worried about his wife but when he and three of their kids burst through the doors, his wife ad driven around back and was saying “Get in the car! Get in the car!”
Caba then went back in and found fourth of their child, rushed her out of the store, and the family drove away in their car. He was praising police for their actions and arriving very quickly at the scene.
“When I got out of that store and the kids were rounded up, they (officers) are running into the store. They are wonderful people. They deserve all the praise and credit in the world. It is absolutely more terrifying than you can imagine to have someone shooting at your kids. They are rock stars!” he said.
Who was the Shooter in Bend, Oregon Shooting?
Bend police haven’t released details about the Bend, Oregon shooting suspect. The information about the victims is also kept private. The police are currently trying to obtain search warrants for the suspected shooter’s residence.
They are asking anyone with information about the event to contact them and share essential details.
According to some callers, they saw the shooter was a man dressed all black, while others said they saw him holding two duffel bags. We’ll soon have more details about him.
Who killed the Shooter in the Bend, Oregon Shooting?
The police initially reported that the suspect shot himself after shooting two people dead. However, they later reaffirmed that they are investigating how did the suspect die. It’s possible that there was another shooter in the area who shot him.
His body has been sent for autopsy and the reports will confirm if he killed himself, or if there was someone else into play.
“Our hearts go out to the victims and their families,” police Chief Mike Krantz said. “We know this is frightening for our community and something we would never want to happen in our city,” he added.
Krantz also promised that they are “following up on every lead” and the investigating is going on very seriously. We’ll keep you updated with further developments on this case.