In brief
On 15 October, a former 16‑year‑old student opened fire at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, killing three children and two teachers. 54‑year‑old Becky Drury, who was wounded by a bullet, survived by lying on the floor and acting as if she were dead, hoping the gunman would cease fire. Despite her injuries, a nearby teacher later threw a phone at the shooter and a parent who entered the school ultimately shot the assailant, ending the attack. Authorities have not yet released a motive for the 16‑year‑old perpetrator.
Some readers may find this article disturbing.
On 15 October, the campus of Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, became the scene of a tragic school shooting that claimed the lives of three children and two teachers. A 54‑year‑old teacher, Becky Drury, later said she survived by pretending to be dead after being shot in an attempt to block the gunman’s path.
Drury was carrying a student when she stopped to shut a classroom door. The gunman, a 16‑year‑old former student, fired at her and she fell to the floor. “I did the only thing I could do, which was to pretend to be dead in the hope he would not shoot me again,” Drury told U.S. media.
She was wounded in the hand and arm; while she could not defend herself, another teacher located farther away later threw her mobile phone at the assailant, and eventually a parent shot the shooter, ending the attack. The victim was identified as Griffin J. John II.
“After the shooting I saw that my left hand was mostly severed and my other arm badly injured,” Drury described. “I could not get up or protect anyone else.”
Officials have not yet released a motive for John, who was enrolled in the school’s special‑education program.
"Like so many in this community, my heart is broken for everyone affected by this tragedy," Drury said.
