Gunman kills three children and teacher at Oregon school

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 17 Oct, 09:20 · Archive

A 16-year-old killed three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon on Thursday afternoon. According to law-enforcement sources, the gunman was a former special-needs student at the school.

The teenager, named by the New York Post as Griffin J. John, threw a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun over the school's fence and climbed over after it around 1 p.m. When he tried to enter through the front door, a bystander—a father of two children at the school—spotted him and opened fire with a concealed weapon, preventing entry. The gunman then ran to the school's back door, which was designed to prevent such breaches, and shot off its lock to force his way in.

Once inside, he headed directly to his former special-needs classroom and opened fire. He killed three children aged 5, 8 and 11, along with a teacher. A 7-year-old in a wheelchair and a 54-year-old teacher were also injured. The New York Post reported that the gun was legally purchased by the shooter's mother, Shauntai Nickerson, around the time of his August birthday.

How it is being reported

• Oregon school shooter was former special-needs student, police sayOregon school shooter was former special-needs student, police sayAl Jazeera · 17 Oct, 09:04
• The extreme measures Oregon shooter took to enter the school — and why he targeted special-ed roomThe Oregon school shooter went to extreme lengths to carry out his evil carnage and make his way to his target: his former special-needs classroom, law-enforcement sources told The Post on Friday.New York Post · 16 Oct, 20:02

In this story: Griffin J. John · Silver Rail Elementary School · Bend, Oregon · Shauntai Nickerson

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem