The 16-year-old suspected gunman who allegedly forced his way into an elementary school in Bend, Oregon, killing four people, has been identified as John J. Griffin II.
Bend Police Department Chief Mike Krantz said that the teen gunman used a pump-action shotgun purchased by his mother in the deadly attack at Silver Rail Elementary School on Thursday. The shooting left three children, aged 5, 8 and 11, and a teacher dead.
Griffin was shot dead by a community member who witnessed the shooting and followed him inside the school, police said.
Newsweek has reached out to Bend Police Department for further comment.
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What We Know About John J. Griffin
According to multiple reports, Griffin was 16 and lived in Bend, Oregon.
Griffin's mother, Shauntai May Nickerson, spoke to reporters outside her apartment on Friday, October 16, expressing grief over her son's death and apologizing to the families of the victims.
“He was a good boy, he really was,” said Nickerson, who was smoking a cigarette and crying when approached by reporters from CNN and other news outlets. “I miss him,” she added.
Nickerson also expressed remorse over the tragedy, saying she wished she could have done something to prevent it.
“If I could have prevented this, I would have,” she said, adding that she was "sorry for their loss" for the parents of the children killed by her son, The New York Times reported.
The shotgun he used was purchased around the time of Griffin's birthday in August, NBC News reported Friday. Krantz said the suspect forced his way into the school by firing at locked doors.
Nickerson declined to discuss how her son obtained the firearm used in the attack.
Investigators have searched the home of the suspect, multiple outlets reported citing law enforcement sources. Investigators reportedly seized the teen's electronic devices.
His mother was interviewed and was cooperative, the Times reported. She reportedly told investigators that Griffin had attended Silver Rail Elementary School.
Investigators have not publicly established a motive. The circumstances surrounding the firearm, Griffin's background and the events leading up to Thursday's shooting remain under investigation.
Nickerson had previously spoken publicly about her son's educational needs. In a 2020 interview with NewsChannel 21, when Griffin was 10, she said he had special needs and discussed his anticipated return to the classroom following pandemic-related school closures.
“I think it will be great,” she said at the time, while acknowledging that she was not certified to teach a student with special educational needs herself.
Who Was The Hero Who Stopped the School Shooter?
The man who confronted and fatally shot the gunman has been identified as Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old carpenter and father of two students at the school.
Giamanco’s brother, Kyle Giamanco, identified him in an interview with NBC News on Friday. He said that Kaylub was on his way home when he heard gunfire and saw the armed teenager entering Silver Rail Elementary, where his two young daughters attend school. He decided to go inside and confront the shooter.
Kyle Giamanco said his brother holds a concealed-weapon permit and made the decision to intervene when he encountered the gunman. Authorities have credited the community member’s actions with preventing further loss of life.
Despite being hailed as a hero, Kaylub has been struggling with the emotional aftermath of the shooting. His brother told NBC News that he does not want to speak publicly at this time because he feels guilty that he could not save more children.
Authorities have not released the names of the children or teacher killed or the two people critically injured.
Hundreds Gathered at Candlelight Vigil in Bend
As investigators worked to establish what happened, residents gathered Thursday evening at Drake Park for a candlelight vigil honoring the victims.
Hundreds of people attended the event, which brought together families, children, community members, local clergy and public officials. People held candles, sang hymns and prayed as the city began confronting the loss. A teacher from nearby Redmond who attended the vigil wrote “Please protect our children” in sidewalk chalk at the park.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler were among the attendees.
“This is a dark day, an awful day,” Kebler told the crowd, adding that the tragedy would affect the community deeply.
Kotek also addressed the person who confronted the gunman, acknowledging the "emotional burden" that could follow such an intervention.
“To the community member who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life,” she said, “your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and my thoughts are with you.”
Oregon lawmakers, including Democratic Senator Ron Wyden and Democratic Representative Janelle Bynum, offered their condolences but also raised questions about the country's response to school shootings.
"Once again we must ask how many schools must be shot up before Republicans agree to act to curb gun violence," Wyden wrote on X.
Other Democrats across the U.S., including Senator Jeff Merkley, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Sentor Cory Booker, also issued statements expressing condolences and calling for greater efforts to prevent gun violence.
The investigation is ongoing as police work to establish a motive and the details surrounding the shooting.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Bend-La Pine Schools canceled classes, activities and sporting events. Superintendent Steven Cook said the district's immediate priorities were caring for students and staff and supporting law enforcement and emergency responders.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Gray R. Thomas