7-Year-Old Shot in Face in Oregon School Shooting Remains in Stable Condition
Saylor Graham, who has a rare gene mutation and uses a wheelchair, was injured in a shooting that killed four people at Silver Rail Elementary.
A seven-year-old girl who uses a wheelchair and was shot in the face during a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Oregon is now in stable condition. Saylor Graham was in a special needs classroom when a 16-year-old gunman, identified as Griffin John II, opened fire on Thursday.
Graham, who has a rare gene mutation called CASK that impacts her physical and cognitive development, is recovering at a Portland hospital. The condition has left her non-verbal and largely wheelchair-bound, though she can walk independently at times. She also has heightened sensory sensitivities and dysphagia, a condition that makes swallowing difficult.
The CASK gene mutation affects brain development, and Graham is one of two children in Oregon with the disease. She is known for her pink glasses and her determination to thrive. Her family has requested privacy during her recovery.
A GoFundMe fundraiser set up for Graham's family has raised nearly $300,000 in one day, with another fundraiser bringing in $265,000. A family friend described Graham as a "feisty, loving child with numerous medical needs" and noted that the "unimaginable trauma has brought medical expenses and uncertainty to her family."
Matt Sampson, executive director of Bend High School, described Graham as having a bubbly personality and said students in the school's Sparrow program, which helps raise money for her medical bills, care deeply about her. He added that Graham has "opened their eyes to new perspectives" and "really just unified that school."
John, who was not enrolled in a Bend public school at the time, reportedly traveled to the elementary school on foot and threw his shotgun over a fence before entering. He was prevented from entering through the front and instead entered through a rear entrance, breaching a safety vestibule. He managed to fire several rounds before being killed by Kaylub Giamanco, a father who was on his lunch break and intervened after spotting the teen. Giamanco holds a concealed carry permit.
Besides Graham, educational assistant Becky Drury, 54, was also injured in the attack. Three students—ages five, eight, and 11—and one teacher, Meghan Lambert, 25, were killed. The five-year-old victim was identified by his father as Rhoam Summer.
The motive for the shooting is currently unknown, and the investigation into how John obtained his ammunition is ongoing.