BEND, OR., 10/30/26 – The Oregon teacher credited with helping prevent more deaths in a shooting at an elementary school in Bend earlier this month is a Ukiah High School graduate, school officials said Friday.
Bend-La Pine Schools identified the educator as Cassidy Schutz, a certified learning specialist at Silver Rail Elementary School where three children, a teacher and the gunman died in a shooting at the campus on Oct. 15.
In a briefing the next day, Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said Schutz, although not named at the time, was one of the teachers in a special education classroom when a 16-year-old armed with a shotgun entered the school.
Police say she threw her cellphone at the gunman, tackled him and fought to take his weapon.
In her first public statement, released through the district, Schutz said there are “no words to describe the depth of sadness” she feels following the events of Oct. 15.
“This is not a story,” she said. “This is a horrific and heartbreaking tragedy, and it is our real lives.”
“It all happened so fast,” Schutz said, adding she will carry the pain of this loss with her forever.
Schutz was born and raised in Northern California, graduating from Ukiah High School in 2016. She played varsity golf and basketball. She attended Linfield University in Oregon, where she continued playing basketball, becoming team captain during her senior season.
In June, Summit High School in Bend announced Schutz as the new girls’ basketball varsity coach.
She has asked for space and privacy while she heals. She will not be making any additional statements.
This hero made some quick decisions that saved lives. Most people wouldn’t have been so courageous. She put herself in harms way to try to stop this gunman. Her quick selfless actions helped save lives.