Oregon Teacher Pretended to Be Dead During School Shooting
A critically injured teacher recounted the harrowing moments she played dead to survive an attack by a 16-year-old gunman at an Oregon elementary school.
Critically injured teacher Becky Drury has revealed she pretended to be dead to survive being shot by a 16-year-old gunman during a deadly attack at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon. Drury, 54, recounted the terrifying moments on Oct. 15, stating she realized "something happened outside" and saw the shooter, identified as Griffin John, 16, before he entered her classroom.
"Before I could do anything more, he shot me at close range and I fell to the ground," Drury said in a statement. "Lying on the floor, I saw that my left hand was almost completely severed from the gunshot, and my other arm was also severely injured. I could not get up, defend myself, or protect anyone else."
She added, "So, I did the only thing I could do, which was to pretend to be dead in the hope he would not shoot me again."
Three students—Rhoam Summer, 5, and two others aged 8 and 11—as well as 25-year-old volleyball coach Megan Lambert, were killed in the gunfire. Seven-year-old Saylor Graham, who uses a wheelchair, was also shot and critically injured.
The shooter, Griffin John, was fatally shot by a bystander who entered the school after hearing the gunfire. Drury was transported to St. Charles Medical Center. She stated, "What happened in that classroom was unimaginable, and like so many in this community, my heart is broken for everyone affected by this tragedy."