The 16-year-old accused of carrying out Thursday’s deadly shooting at an Oregon elementary school had once been a pupil there himself, according to investigators.
John J Griffin entered Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend at about 12.59pm, armed with a pump-action “long gun” resembling a rifle or shotgun. Police said the weapon had been bought by his mother.
During an interview with investigators, Griffin’s mother said her son had previously attended Silver Rail Elementary, CNN reported.
After learning what he had allegedly done, she told police: “If I could have prevented this, I would have,” according to an investigation official cited by The New York Times.
The teenager allegedly shot at locked doors before reaching the school’s special education area. There, police said, he killed three children—aged five, eight and 11—and a teacher whose age has not been disclosed.
His rampage ended within minutes when he was shot dead by Kalub Giamanco, 36, a father of two children at the school who heard the gunfire while driving home for lunch.
Several hours after the shooting, police searched the Griffin family’s home and seized evidence. His parents are understood to be cooperating with investigators.
Law enforcement sources told CBS News that investigators are examining Griffin’s digital footprint, including his computer, mobile phone, social media accounts and internet search history.
Authorities are also investigating whether the teenager had developed an interest in violence or previous mass shootings, although officials have cautioned that it is too soon to reach any conclusions.
The teenage shooter accused of killing three children and a teacher at an Oregon elementary school on Thursday was shot dead by a bystander, although his identity has not been officially released
An unnamed 16-year-old entered Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend at about 12.59pm carrying a pump-action “long gun” that police said had been purchased by his mother
Five-year-old Rhoam Summer was the first victim identified and was the youngest person killed, with his father confirming his identity (both pictured)
Authorities initially identified the suspected gunman only as a Bend resident. A motive has not been established, and investigators have not said how far inside the school he reached before opening fire.
Rhoam Summer, five, was the first victim to be publicly identified. His father confirmed the child’s identity on Friday.
A 54-year-old teacher and a seven-year-old child who uses a wheelchair were also taken to hospital in critical condition. The child had suffered a gunshot wound to the face.
Police have not yet determined a motive for the attack and have released few details about the suspect’s movements inside the building before the shooting began.
Investigators said the violence started when the suspect opened fire on a red pickup truck in the school parking lot before entering the building, which serves approximately 450 children.
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Images posted online showed the Toyota Tacoma SR5 covered in bullet holes. Three appeared along the lower section of the passenger-side door, two more were near the front of the door and another two were close to the bottom of the truck bed.
The rear passenger-side window also appeared to have been completely blown out, leaving no visible glass in the frame.
After shooting at the truck, the alleged attacker reportedly threw the gun over the school fence and climbed over it himself. The driver then contacted Deschutes County dispatchers shortly before 1pm.
The suspect allegedly blasted his way through locked doors before entering the school’s special education area, where he killed three children aged five, eight and 11, and a teacher
Police have described the suspected gunman only as a Bend resident, with no motive yet established for the attack
The police chief warned that the investigation would be a ‘long’ one, with investigators expected to remain at the school for several days
The rampage ended only when a Good Samaritan ‘pursued him into the school and engaged him,’ ultimately shooting the gunman dead just three minutes before police arrived.
Kathy Sheil Smith, a fifth-grade teacher who came face-to-face with the reality of the attack inside the school, was among those who praised the local hero for saving lives, according to KPTV News.
‘That person saw something,’ she said. ‘They did something, and that took its own courage. I’m just grateful that that person was able to apprehend the suspect.’
Paramedics were seen preparing a staging area outside the school after the attack, as another child and a teacher were rushed to hospital. Neither patient’s current condition has been confirmed.
It is not known whether the suspected shooter had a history of threats, disciplinary problems or other warning signs that preceded the attack.
Authorities have also not confirmed whether he was armed with any other weapons, whether a note or digital evidence was recovered, or whether he had previously come to the attention of law enforcement.
The police chief warned that the investigation would be a ‘long’ one, with investigators expected to remain at the school for several days.
The state has passed a range of gun safety laws in recent years, earning Oregon a 12th-place ranking among all 50 states for the strength of its gun laws, according to Everytown for Gun Safety.
Thursday’s deadly shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School, about 160 miles southeast of Portland, is the latest in a long string of school shootings to devastate the nation over the past three decades.
Last year, 235 shooting incidents were recorded at American schools, with at least 140 reported so far this year, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database.
In Oregon, people under 18 cannot buy firearms, although minors may possess them with parental permission for certain purposes, including hunting.
