Former Mayor of Bend, Oregon, Discusses Deadly Elementary School Shooting
Bend Oregon elementary school shooting. Former Bend, Oregon mayor and neighborhood resident Jeff Eager speaks about the deadly shooting at an elementary school near his home.
Former Bend, Oregon, mayor Jeff Eager spoke about the deadly shooting at an elementary school located a few blocks from his neighborhood.
Eager, who served as mayor from 2011 to 2013 and lives near Silver Rail Elementary, learned of the incident through a phone call about half an hour after it occurred while working in his home office.
Well, my experience was I was working here in my home office. Didn't hear anything happen out there. Got a phone call about half an hour after the event and walked over there. The biggest thing that struck me was just how quiet everything was. I mean, there were hundreds of parents, dozens of law enforcement officers, and it was nearly silent. I guess, I'd never thought about what the aftermath of a school shooting would be like, but I learned that it's quiet.
When asked about the meaning of that silence, Eager agreed that after numerous shootings, everyone present understood what was happening.
Regarding the community’s preparation and response, Eager noted that the school district had invested significant sums in security in recent years at the roughly 10-year-old school. He observed that the response time was very fast, though he added that whatever security was present did not work.
I think pretty well prepared, as sad as that is to say. Like you said, the response time was very fast. You know, the school district has invested significant sums in security in recent years. This was about a 10-year-old school, so relatively new, presumably had decent security in it. Obviously, whatever was there didn't work.
Looking toward the future, Eager expressed expectation of much sadness while emphasizing the strength of the Bend community.
I think there's going to be a lot of sadness. I think that the Bend community is – it's a strong one. It will excel as it helps people through this process. It's a good place, and we know how to take care of each other. And that's what I expect to see.
