BEND, Ore. (Oct. 16, 2026) — Bend police released new details Friday about the deadly shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School, identifying the 16-year-old suspect and describing how a teacher and a parent of students at the school intervened during an attack that killed three children and a teacher Thursday afternoon.
The shooting occurred shortly before 1 p.m. Oct. 15 at Silver Rail Elementary School, located at 61530 SE Stone Creek Lane in Bend.
Five people died at the scene, including the suspected shooter. The victims included three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, and a 25-year-old teacher. Two others, a 7-year-old girl and a 54-year-old teacher, were critically injured.
During a Friday news conference, Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz acknowledged the devastating impact of the shooting and thanked community members who gathered for a vigil Thursday evening.
“Yesterday was a terrible day for our community, and I appreciate the thousands of people who showed up at last night’s vigil at Drake Park because you care about each other, and that mattered,” Krantz said. “That is what community looks like.”
Police Detail Suspect’s Movements Before Shooting
Investigators identified the suspected shooter as 16-year-old Griffin J. John II, a former student at Silver Rail Elementary School who was not currently enrolled in Bend-La Pine Schools.
Police believe John traveled to the school on foot, although investigators are still working to determine his exact route.
According to police, the incident began at approximately 12:58 p.m. Thursday as two vehicles traveled westbound on Brentwood Avenue near the school.
Investigators said John approached the school’s fenced rear perimeter from an undeveloped area near Nina Avenue. He allegedly crossed the street, threw a shotgun over the fence and climbed onto school property.
The driver of a red Toyota pickup witnessed the incident and verbally confronted the suspect.
Police said the suspect responded by firing at the pickup, striking it at least three times.
The driver continued down the street and placed the initial 911 call at 12:59 p.m., reporting that someone armed with a long gun had fired multiple shots at his vehicle.
A second driver, a 36-year-old man whose children attend Silver Rail Elementary, also witnessed the confrontation and drove into the school’s parking lot.
Suspect Forced Entry Into Classroom
Investigators said the suspect walked westbound along the south side of the school before approaching a set of exterior double doors.
He fired multiple rounds into the glass panes of the doors to gain entry.
Once inside, the suspect immediately entered a classroom to the left of the entrance and opened fire.
Police estimate the suspect fired as many as 15 rounds during the incident, although the exact number discharged inside the classroom remains under investigation.
All six shooting victims were inside that classroom.
Investigators determined that three types of 12-gauge ammunition were used during the attack: birdshot, buckshot and slugs.
Teacher and Parent Intervened During Attack
Police credited two individuals with taking extraordinary action to confront the shooter.
According to investigators, a teacher inside the classroom threw her cellphone at the suspect before physically tackling him and attempting to wrestle the shotgun away.
The teacher was not injured during the confrontation.
Meanwhile, the 36-year-old father who had witnessed the initial shooting outside the school retrieved a legally secured .40-caliber pistol from his vehicle.
He entered the building through the doors the suspect had forced open.
Inside, the man witnessed the teacher physically struggling with the suspect and fired his handgun, striking the 16-year-old multiple times.
The suspect died at the scene.
Police said the actions of the teacher and the parent were instrumental in confronting the gunman during the attack.
Victims Identified, Conditions Updated
Police confirmed Friday that one of the children killed was 5-year-old Rhoam Summer. His identity was released at the request of his family.
The families of the other two children killed, ages 8 and 11, have requested that their identities not be publicly released.
The teacher who died was identified as 25-year-old Megan Lambert of Bend.
Investigators said two of the children and Lambert were already deceased when responding officers arrived. Officers and emergency medical personnel attempted lifesaving measures on another boy at the scene, but he did not survive.
Two additional victims remain hospitalized.
A 7-year-old girl who received lifesaving treatment at the school was transported for medical care and is now hospitalized at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. Police said she remains in serious but stable condition.
The injured teacher, identified with her family’s permission as 54-year-old Becky Drury of Bend, remains hospitalized at St. Charles Bend.
Police said Drury sustained serious injuries that are not considered life-threatening.
Officers Arrived Within Minutes
Bend police provided an updated timeline of the emergency response.
The initial 911 call was received by Deschutes County Dispatch at 12:59 p.m. Thursday.
Dispatchers subsequently received dozens of emergency calls reporting an armed individual inside Silver Rail Elementary School.
At 1 p.m., dispatch issued an emergency alert to law enforcement personnel.
Responding officers directed the school to initiate lockdown procedures at 1:01 p.m.
The first officers arrived at 1:02 p.m., approximately three minutes after the initial emergency call.
Moments later, an officer reported that the suspect had been shot multiple times by a community member.
Students and staff were subsequently transported aboard Bend-La Pine Schools buses to Journey Church, where they were reunited with parents and guardians.
Shotgun and Additional Ammunition Recovered
Officers responding to the shooting recovered a Maverick 88 pump-action 12-gauge shotgun near the deceased suspect.
Investigators also located a backpack containing additional ammunition.
Police said approximately 44 rounds of 12-gauge ammunition remained on the suspect or inside the backpack.
Authorities have not determined how the 16-year-old obtained the shotgun or ammunition.
Those questions remain part of the active criminal investigation.
Investigation Involves Approximately 150 Personnel
Bend police have activated the Tri-County Major Incident Team to assist with the investigation.
Approximately 150 law enforcement officers and emergency response personnel have participated in the response and subsequent investigation.
Agencies involved include the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Police Department, Oregon State Police, FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Investigators have completed a digital scan of the school and collected physical evidence from the scene.
Authorities also executed a search warrant at the suspect’s residence.
Interviews with witnesses and others connected to the incident remain ongoing.
Police conducted a second walkthrough of the school Friday morning and said investigators do not anticipate releasing the scene until Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the earliest.
The extended timeline is intended to ensure investigators have sufficient time to document the scene and collect all available evidence.
The FBI’s Victim Services Division will coordinate with Bend-La Pine Schools to assist students, families and staff who need to retrieve belongings from unaffected areas of the building.
Community Mourns as Investigation Continues
The shooting has left the Bend community mourning the deaths of three young children and an elementary school teacher while two additional victims continue recovering from their injuries.
Thousands of residents gathered at Drake Park on Thursday evening to honor those killed and support the families affected by the tragedy.
Authorities continue working to establish the circumstances leading up to the shooting, including how the suspect acquired the firearm and ammunition and what prompted the attack.
Police have not released information establishing a motive.
The investigation remains active, and additional information is expected as investigators continue examining evidence and interviewing witnesses.
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