Oregon School Shooter Used Shotgun Gifted by Mother, Police Confirm
Investigators reveal the shotgun used in the Silver Rail Elementary shooting was a birthday gift from the suspect's mother. Get the latest updates here.
POLICY WIRE — Bend, Oregon — The 12-gauge Maverick 88 pump-action shotgun utilized in the tragic shooting at an Oregon elementary school was legally acquired by the shooter’s mother, Shauntai Nickerson, in August 2026, according to official sources.
Nickerson reportedly presented the firearm to her son, Griffin J. John II, for recreational purposes. In a 2020 interview with KTVZ, Nickerson had previously discussed her son’s special needs and his difficulties with remote learning during the pandemic, stating, “It’ll be great for my son to get back in there and get the help that he needs with the skilled teachers that he needs to get it from.”
Authorities reported that the assailant began his attack by firing at a passing pickup truck. The driver of that vehicle placed the initial emergency call before the shooter breached the school by firing through the glass of double doors.
Upon entering the first classroom on the left, the shooter killed four individuals and wounded two others. The deceased victims included a 25-year-old teacher, Megan Lambert, and three children aged 5, 8, and 11. Police identified the 5-year-old victim as Rhoam Summer, while the families of the other two children have chosen to keep their identities private.
The two surviving wounded victims include a 54-year-old teacher and a 7-year-old girl. Investigators confirmed that nine people—five children and four adults—were inside the classroom when the violence occurred.
The suspect, a former student at Silver Rail Elementary, was neutralized by 36-year-old bystander Kaylub Giamanco. Giamanco, a local resident whose own daughters attend the school, witnessed the initial shooting at the pickup truck and pursued the suspect into the building.
While the Bend Police Department continues to investigate, no motive for the attack has been established. Officials expected to conclude evidence collection at the school site by Monday evening before returning the facility to the school district.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)