Shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Oregon Claims Four Lives
A 16-year-old former student opened fire at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, killing three children and a teacher on a Thursday afternoon in October 2026. The armed teenager, identified by law enforcement as Griffin J. John II, shot his way through glass panels at the entrance before a bystander intervened and killed him with his own firearm, according to local police officials cited by NBC News.
Teacher Recounts the First Moments Inside the Classroom
Becky Drury, a 54-year-old teacher at the school, was severely wounded during the attack and stated that she had no time to save her students. According to NOS News, Drury walked toward the commotion after the shooter forced his way into the building. When she spotted the gunman, she ran back toward her classroom, but he followed her closely and shot her at close range.
I turned around to close the door, but he was already there,
Drury wrote in a public statement published by NOS News. Before I could do anything, he shot me from close range.
The attack left her with severe injuries to both arms and her left hand. Unable to stand or defend herself, she lay on the floor and pretended to be dead in the hope that the shooter would spare her.
Armed Bystander Intervenes to Stop the Gunman
The rampage was halted by 36-year-old carpenter Kaylub Giamanco, a father of two children enrolled at the school, who rushed to the scene after hearing gunfire, Nieuwsblad reported. Giamanco, who held a concealed carry permit, confronted the shooter after a colleague of Drury had already thrown a mobile phone at the gunman and knocked him to the ground. Giamanco used his own firearm to eliminate the threat.
Police recovered a Maverick 88 12-gauge pump-action shotgun near the suspect’s body, alongside approximately 44 additional cartridges, according to Nieuwsblad. Investigators later determined that the firearm had been legally purchased by the teenager’s mother around his birthday in August, though Oregon law requires individuals to be 18 to purchase a shotgun.
Investigation Into the Motive and Weapon Access Continues
Federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), are assisting the Bend Police Department in determining a motive and tracing exactly how the minor obtained the weapon. Police Chief Steven Cook confirmed that the suspect had previously attended Silver Rail Elementary as a student requiring special education services.
The tragedy left three young victims aged 5, 8, and 11 dead, alongside a 25-year-old teacher. A 7-year-old child and teacher Becky Drury sustained critical injuries during the shooting, prompting expressions of gratitude for the bystanders who intervened.
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