JUST IN: Four killed in Oregon elementary school shooting, including three children

Four people, including three children, have been killed in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, in the United States, according to US media reports.

CBS News and CNN reported on Thursday that the victims comprised three children and one adult, citing law enforcement sources.

Police had earlier confirmed multiple victims, including children, and said the suspected shooter was also dead.

The incident has renewed concerns about school safety and the protection of pupils and staff amid the threat of gun violence in educational institutions.

Schools are expected to provide safe environments where children can learn and develop without fear. However, shootings such as this expose the risks pupils and teachers may face even within learning facilities.

Beyond the immediate loss of lives, such incidents can leave lasting emotional and psychological effects on surviving pupils, teachers, parents and other members of the affected school community.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting, including the motive for the attack, were not established in the available reports.

Further details about the victims and the incident were not immediately available.