Law enforcement identified the Silver Rail Elementary shooter as Griffin J. John II, authorities and local media reported. Investigators said the teen entered the school by shooting through a locked door and fired multiple rounds inside the building.
Officials reported the gunman fired as many as 15 rounds using three types of ammunition. Police said he carried an additional 44 rounds of ammunition when they found him at the scene.
Two senior law enforcement officials told NBC News that the long gun used in the attack was purchased by the shooter’s mother around his birthday. Police and federal investigators have not publicly identified a motive.
The shooter’s mother was identified through public records as Shauntai Nickerson. Law enforcement officials described her as cooperative and said officers executed a search warrant at the family home and collected evidence linked to the case.
Investigation And Community Response
Investigators are examining the shooter’s background and online activity, officials said. Two sources told NBC News that authorities are reviewing social media accounts to determine what materials or ideologies the teen may have accessed.
Officials are also looking into whether the shooter attended Silver Rail Elementary School, a detail local broadcasters reported as part of ongoing background checks. Police and federal agents continue to gather digital and physical evidence.
The shooter’s mother spoke to KTVZ of Bend in a 2020 news package about her son’s enrollment in a special education program. In that report she said her son struggled to learn from home and that returning to the classroom would provide needed support, as reported by KTVZ.
Police acknowledged an earlier misidentification in initial coverage of the case. The Bend police chief corrected the record to confirm the shooter’s name as Griffin J. John II. Local officials praised staff and members of the public who intervened and followed safety protocols during the incident.
