BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A gunman armed with a rifle and shotgun fired several shots in the parking lot of a northeast Bend shopping center Sunday evening, then entered a Safeway and fired numerous more shots, killing two people and sending shoppers scrambling for the exits. Officers also found the shooter dead inside the store.
Police Chief Mike Krantz told reporters at a late-night news conference they believe the man entered the shopping center parking lot from a neighborhood behind it.
An AR-15-style rifle and shotgun were found “in close proximity to the shooter” when police arrived, Krantz said, adding that police fired no shots after arriving at the store.
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Krantz said close to 100 officers from several agencies were involved in the investigation of the “very large crime scene,” so it will take time to process the scene, including obtaining search warrants.
“Our hearts go out to the victims and their families,” Krantz said. “We know this is frightening for our community and something we would never want to happen in our city,” he said, promising that they are “following up on every lead.”
Krantz said police are aware of “information floating around social media” said to be postings by the gunman and are investigating them as well.
There also have been reports of shootings elsewhere in the city, the police chief said, but officers checking on those reports found “no evidence of other shootings in our community.” Specifically, he said, there was a report of shots fired in the area of Southeast Ninth Street and Reed Market Road, but police “found no evidence of a shooting there as well.”
“We ask the community to be patient as we work through” the investigation and to call in with any leads, to 911 if it’s an emergency, Krantz said. He also said he'd just learned of the one injured person and had no details.
Officers and medics rushed to the Forum Shopping Center just after 7 p.m. after numerous reports of gunshots and one or more victims and/or suspects. Police advised Monday morning that parts of the shopping center remained closed due to the ongoing investigation.
A Bend woman, meanwhile, has created a
GoFundMe page to assist her grandmother, whose brother was one of the two people killed.
Just before 8:30 p.m., St. Charles spokeswoman Lisa Goodman confirmed that they had received two people, one who was dead on arrival and another reported to be in good condition. A short time later, she said the hospital had been placed in a lockout.
Minutes later, Bend Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller told reporters three people had been shot and killed, including the alleged gunman.
Police responded to numerous calls just after 7 p.m. reporting shots fired at the Forum Shopping Center, she said.
Miller said at the gunman fired shots in the parking lot near the Costco and Big Lots stores, then entered the west entrance of Safeway.
"One person was shot inside the entrance," she said, and was reported dead on arrival at St. Charles Bend.
"Police believe the shooter continued firing through the store, shooting and killing an additional person" toward the back, produce area, Miller said.
Police found the shooter, dead in the store.
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Deschutes County 911 dispatchers received numerous calls just after 7 p.m. reporting multiple gunshots heard in the area of the shopping center, at Highway 20 and Northeast 27th Street.
Some callers reportedly said they saw someone dressed all black, while others said a male subject holding two duffel bags who may have entered the grocery store.
Others heard gunshots from the nearby Costco, to the east.
Bend police said in a tweet that there was "an active investigation in the area of The Forum Shopping Center. Please avoid the area. More updates to come as the investigation continues."
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, amid reports one or more suspects may have left the area.
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