Oregon Teacher Says Shooter Reached Classroom Before She Could Protect Students
WHO:
NBC News - Police said they have not publicly identified who purchased the shotgun; two senior law-enforcement officials told NBC News the suspect’s mother bought it in August, around the time of his birthday.
CNN - A mother identified only as Michelle said she survived the 2001 shooting at Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, California; her two sons were students at Silver Rail Elementary during the attack.
ABC News - Becky Drury, a teacher wounded in the attack, described trying to return to her classroom after seeing the shooter.
NBC News - The shooter was 16-year-old Griffin J. John II, a former Silver Rail Elementary student.
ABC News - Three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, and a teacher were killed; another student was critically injured.
NBC News - The teacher killed was 25-year-old Megan Lambert. Authorities publicly identified two victims: 5-year-old Rhoam Summer and Lambert.
ABC News - Another teacher tackled and wrestled with the gunman for control of the weapon after throwing her phone at him.
NBC News - A bystander who followed the gunman into the school fatally shot him while another teacher wrestled with him.
ABC News - A father followed the gunman into the building and shot him.
WHAT:
CNN - Michelle said she had to sit down on the pavement outside Silver Rail Elementary because she felt faint.
CNN - Michelle said her fifth grader heard gunshots and people screaming inside the school.
CNN - Michelle said her 11-year-old read a news headline about deaths at his school; she then told him about surviving the Granite Hills shooting.
CNN - Michelle said a therapist visited her home and her 11-year-old asked, “Why did this happen?” He looked at the victims’ yearbook photos and recalled memories of them.
CNN - Michelle said her family put a free-toys-and-books bin in their yard for neighborhood children, and her youngest rode bikes with friends and asked for playdates.
CNN - Michelle said she collected her children’s belongings at a secure FBI location, where therapy dogs, stuffed animals and snacks were available.
CNN - Michelle said her fifth-grade son called to tell her, “Mom, there’s a shooter,” and that she told him to stay quiet while she called 911.
CNN - Michelle said emergency operators did not answer immediately, though they usually had in her experience.
CNN - After about three hours at a reunification center, Michelle was reunited with her sons. Her older son said, “Mom, can I be homeschooled? I never want to go in that school again.”
CNN - Michelle is considering homeschooling both boys. Her older son said he feared attending a gathering because “a terrorist comes and shoots us all.”
CNN - Michelle said her older son discussed the victims with a therapist, looked at their yearbook pictures, and left home for the first time since the shooting to get ice cream.
CNN - Michelle said she has experienced lasting trauma since her own school shooting, including panic attacks and scanning public places for exits.
NBC News - Police said the motive remained under investigation.
ABC News - Drury said she was shot at close range before she could protect students. Her left hand was nearly severed, and her right arm was also struck.
NBC News - Drury said, “I could not get up, defend myself, or protect anyone else,” and pretended to be dead so the shooter would not shoot her again.
ABC News - Drury said she wanted to correct reports claiming she threw herself on top of a student.
ABC News - Police said the shotgun was legally purchased; ABC reported that the Associated Press, citing an unnamed law-enforcement source, said the suspect’s mother bought it. Investigators were still examining how he obtained it.
NBC News - Police identified the weapon as a Maverick 88 pump-action 12-gauge shotgun and said the shooter used birdshot, buckshot and slugs.
NBC News - Investigators were examining whether the shooter viewed extremist material online, including material associated with “nihilistic violent extremism,” or NVE.
ABC News - Police said they served search warrants at the suspect’s home and searched electronic devices and social media accounts across multiple platforms.
NBC News - Police said the investigation was complex and “takes time.”
ABC News - Drury said, “Accurate, respectful reporting is a truly important service that will help heal the wounds inflicted by that awful day.”
NBC News - Drury expressed gratitude for community support and said her heart was broken for those affected.
WHERE:
CNN - Authorities directed families to Journey Church to reunite with students.
ABC News - The attack occurred in a special-education classroom at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon.
NBC News - Students in the greater Bend-La Pine Schools district returned to class, but not at Silver Rail Elementary.
WHEN:
CNN - Michelle said her 11-year-old left home for the first time since the shooting to get his favorite ice cream.
NBC News - Officials said the attack began around 1 p.m.
ABC News - The district reopened schools, with officers welcoming students; NBC reported students returned to class across the district.
HOW:
CNN - Michelle said she and her husband ran out of an Olive Garden restaurant during the emergency and later joked that the restaurant would be fine without their bill.
CNN - Michelle said her fifth-grade son used the small screen on his Apple Watch to tell her he had seen his younger brother at school.
TMZ - Police had been called to the suspect’s family home in the years before the shooting; TMZ’s excerpt did not provide the number or reasons for the calls.
ABC News - The gunman forced his way through locked doors with a shotgun and attacked the classroom.
ABC News - Drury said she heard a noise, went to investigate, saw the shooter, and ran back to the classroom. She said, “I turned to shut the door behind me, but the shooter was already there.”
NBC News - Police said the bystander saw the gunman fire at a truck, followed him into the school, and shot him while the other teacher wrestled for the weapon.
(UPDATED October 22, 2026 16:17 UTC)
A gunman attacked a special-education classroom at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, killing three children and teacher Megan Lambert, and critically injuring another student. Police identified the shooter as 16-year-old Griffin J. John II, a former student, and said a bystander who followed him inside fatally shot him as another teacher wrestled for control of the shotgun. Becky Drury, a teacher wounded in the attack, said she was shot at close range and pretended to be dead; she is correcting reports that she shielded a student. Police say the shotgun was legally purchased, and investigators are examining how the suspect obtained it and whether he viewed extremist material online. The motive remains under investigation. Michelle, a mother whose sons were at the school, said her fifth grader alerted her by Apple Watch. Her family was later reunited, and her older son is considering homeschooling.
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(UPDATED October 22, 2026 12:02 UTC)
A school shooting at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, killed three children and teacher Megan Lambert, and critically injured another student. Police identified the shooter as 16-year-old Griffin J. John II, a former student, and said the motive remains under investigation. Teacher Becky Drury was shot at close range as she tried to return to her classroom; she said she pretended to be dead. Another teacher wrestled with the gunman, while a father who followed him into the school fatally shot him. Michelle, whose two sons were students there, said her fifth-grade son warned her by Apple Watch, and she called 911. She later reunited with them at a family center. Her older son has been afraid to return to school, and she is considering homeschooling. Students across the district have returned to class, though not at Silver Rail.
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(UPDATED October 22, 2026 09:07 UTC)
A gunman attacked a special-education classroom at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, killing three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, and teacher Megan Lambert, 25. Another student was critically injured. Police identified the shooter as 16-year-old Griffin J. John II, a former student at the school, and said the attack began around 1 p.m. Teacher Becky Drury said she saw the gunman and ran back to her classroom, but he was already at the door. Shot at close range, she suffered severe injuries to both arms and pretended to be dead. Another teacher threw her phone at the gunman, then wrestled him for control of his shotgun. A father who followed the shooter into the school fatally shot him. Police said the motive remains under investigation, including possible exposure to extremist material. Students across the district have returned to class, but Silver Rail remains closed.
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(UPDATED October 22, 2026 01:23 UTC)
A gunman killed three children and a teacher in a special-education classroom at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, and critically injured another student. Authorities identified the shooter as 16-year-old Griffin J. John II, a former student at the school, and the teacher who died as 25-year-old Megan Lambert. Becky Drury, another teacher, said she was shot at close range while trying to return to her classroom. Her left hand was nearly severed, and she was also shot in the right arm. Drury said she pretended to be dead, and wanted to correct reports that she had thrown herself on a student. Another teacher wrestled with the shooter as a father followed him inside and fatally shot him. Police said the gun was legally purchased and are examining the suspect’s devices and possible exposure to extremist material. District schools reopened, though Silver Rail remained closed.