Oregon Teacher, Three Children Killed in School Shooting
A 16-year-old gunman opened fire at Silver Rail Elementary School, killing his former teacher and three young students before being shot dead by a parent.
A 25-year-old teacher and three children were killed in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday afternoon. The gunman, identified as 16-year-old Griffin John II, also critically wounded another teacher and a seven-year-old student before being killed by a parent who intervened.
The deceased teacher has been identified as Meghan Lambert, of Bend. Her family described her as compassionate and having a passion for sports. Lambert, who had coached children's volleyball, had reportedly turned down pay for her first season to allow families who could not afford to participate to play the sport. Her ambition was to teach in the school district where she grew up, and her first teaching job was at Silver Rail Elementary, where she had also worked as a substitute teacher for many years.
The child victims were aged five, eight, and 11. One of the child victims was identified as five-year-old Rhoam Summer. The other two children's names are being withheld out of respect for their families, according to Bend police.
The gunman, Griffin John II, targeted a special education class at the school, where he had been a student. Police said he traveled to the school on foot, throwing his Maverick 88 12-gauge shotgun over the fence before jumping over himself. After being prevented from entering through the front, he went to the rear entrance and forced his way in.
Kalub Giamanco, 36, a parent of two children at the school, heard the gunshots and intervened. Giamanco, who holds a concealed carry permit, shot and killed John II within moments of the attack beginning.
Authorities are investigating how John II obtained ammunition. Police searched his family home, seizing electronic devices. His mother, Shauntai Nickerson, has stated that her son was a good boy and that she would have stopped him if she could. Records show Nickerson has a history of traffic violations and was convicted of harassment in 2023.
The school resource officer was not present at the time of the shooting, as the officer oversees multiple buildings and was at a nearby school. The school has a safety vestibule system designed to prevent unauthorized access.