- One week after the deadly shooting at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, students at some schools across the state staged walkouts, led by volunteers with Students Demand Action, to call for political action against gun violence.
- Students Demand Action stated that students will stand in solidarity with the Bend community and draw attention to their right to attend school without fear of gunfire, noting that gun violence devastates families and communities across the state.
- Students in the Bend-La Pine School District returned to class on Wednesday for a partial day, with Thursday marking their first full day back since the shooting; Silver Rail Elementary remains closed until further notice.
- The group reported that an average of 655 Oregonians are killed by guns and another 719 are injured annually in shootings.
- Superintendent Steven Cook expressed that the community holds the victims and their families close in their hearts and that responsibilities to care for one another will continue beyond the first days.
Students across Oregon staged walkouts Thursday to protest gun violence, marking one week since the tragic shooting at Bend's Silver Rail Elementary, which resulted in the deaths of three students and a teacher on October 15.13
The demonstrations, organized by Students Demand Action, aimed to highlight the urgent need for political action to ensure safe school environments.2
In a press release, the group stated, “Students will stand in solidarity with the Bend community and call attention to their right to attend school without fearing gunfire.” They emphasized that gun violence affects not only schools but also families and communities across Oregon, with an average of 655 Oregonians killed and 719 injured annually due to shootings.4
As students in the Bend-La Pine School District returned to class for a partial day on Wednesday, Silver Rail Elementary remains closed indefinitely. Superintendent Steven Cook expressed the community's grief, stating, “We hold each of them, and their families and loved ones close in our hearts as we mourn together as one community.” The walkouts serve as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle against gun violence and the need for comprehensive reforms to protect students.5
“The shooting killed three students and a teacher on October 15. Students Demand Action reports an average of 655 Oregonians die by guns annually, with Silver Rail Elementary still closed.”
KATU
