The three children and a teacher shot to death at Silver Rail Elementary School in central Oregon were in a classroom dedicated to students with special needs — an environment meant to be nurturing, safe and supportive.
As in mass shootings, the dead and injured are not the only victims. The pain, trauma and grief affect a much wider circle, including survivors, first responders, community members and parents and siblings who must share the memory of their loved ones.
On Thursday morning, photo day at the school with more than 400 students, Megan Lambert — a teacher and fierce advocate with a “huge heart” who “always fought for the oppressed and those with special needs” — died while doing her “dream job,” according to her family.
They remembered Lambert, an Oregon native who grew up in Bend, graduating from Mountain View High School in 2019 and Boise State in 2023, as “compassionate.” The 25-year-old, a sports enthusiast, refused to pay for her first season as a volleyball coach to help families who couldn’t afford to participate, they said.
Lambert, who was a substitute at Silver Rail before becoming a full-time teacher, also traveled to Barcelona, Spain, to hone her skills in teaching English as a second language.
She was “funny and opinionated” and “lit up a room” with her presence, the family said in a statement.
A wide circle of trauma and sorrow
The three children fatally shot were Lambert students, including Rhoam Summer, 5, who had long, curly blonde hair and wore a blue jacket as she climbed a small tree in a family photo released Friday by police. Two others, who have not been publicly identified at the request of their families, were 8 and 11 years old.
“Today was the worst day of my life,” Kelik Summer wrote in a Facebook post to a community he is a part of, referring to his son’s death. “We are broken and lost, but we are surrounded by friends and family who keep us safe. »
Saylor Graham, 7, and Becky Drury, a 54-year-old teacher, were injured and taken to local hospitals.
The latest tragedy at an American school occurred around 1 p.m. Thursday in the city of Bend. A 16-year-old shooter forced his way into the school by shooting out the windows of an exterior door, police said. He was identified as Griffin J. John II, a former special needs student at the school, Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said.
The shooter walked directly into the classroom just to the left of the entrance and fired up to 15 rounds, according to Krantz.
A teacher, who was not injured, threw her cellphone at the shooter, tackled him and tried to retrieve the weapon, the police chief said. Kaylub Giamanco, whose children attend the school, had previously seen the gunman open fire on a man who had verbally confronted the suspect outside the school.
Giamanco, carrying a legally secured .40-caliber pistol, followed the suspect, police said. When he saw the teacher physically struggling with the shooter, Giamanco fired multiple times and killed the suspect.
“We were all screaming and we were all really scared,” Kalani Journeigh, 9, told Reuters.
The fourth grader and other students hid in an unfamiliar room for about 30 minutes as gunfire rang out nearby. She remembers having difficulty breathing. Her friend’s screams mixed with the sound of police car sirens before officers arrived and escorted students and staff out of the building. Kalani was now drawing a purple heart on the sidewalk of a makeshift memorial outside Silver Rail Elementary School.
When asked what was going through his mind, Kalani replied, “So we can die.”
Another student, a 9-year-old boy, recalled the principal saying “lockdown, lockdown” as gunshots rang out, CNN affiliate KGW reported. For 30 minutes, he cowered in fear under a sink. He remembers a girl pleading, “Please, please, no,” followed by another gunshot “and then dead silence.”
The family of Becky Drury, the teacher injured in the shooting, is going through “an incredibly difficult time,” her husband, Will Drury, said in a statement.
Yvonne Drury wrote in a Facebook post that “our wonderful daughter-in-law Becky” was recovering in hospital after surgery. She shared a message from her son, in which Will Drury wrote that his wife’s “left arm took a lot of damage, so there is a long recovery and more surgeries ahead.”
“His right hand was also affected, which also required surgery, but it is much less serious,” he wrote. “The good news is that she will be fine and we will all be able to keep this beautiful woman we love so much in our lives.”
“We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support, prayers and well wishes,” the family said in the statement released by Zack Hall, a family spokesperson.
“The kindness and concern shown to our family and everyone involved means more than we can express. We live in a truly special community,” said Will Drury. “Right now our focus is on my wife, Becky, and her recovery.”
Saylor, who was identified in two verified GoFundMe campaigns, is described in one as a “feisty, loving child with many medical needs.” The shooting led to medical bills and uncertainty for his family, according to the fundraising campaign.
Donations will help cover medical expenses, accommodation, transportation and lost wages, while his family remains by his side during his recovery. Police said earlier that a 7-year-old girl received life-saving treatment at the scene of the shooting and was in serious but stable condition at the hospital.
“Saylor is the definition of light and joy. Her story of determination, resilience and strength has inspired countless students and others in her community, including those of us at Sparrow Clubs,” Matt Sampson, executive director of the nonprofit organization that helps children facing health challenges, said in a statement.
On Saturday, outside Silver Rail Elementary School, four small crosses with hearts and handwritten messages were erected on a growing makeshift memorial to the victims.
The joy and innocence that greeted students and teachers as they returned to school in early September was lost, replaced by a somber and calm aura. A shattered school year and sense of security.
The entrance to Silver Rail Elementary School is now a gathering place for the community’s wider circle of pain, trauma and grief – with people donating bouquets of flowers, stuffed animals, candles and heart-shaped balloons while children leave colorful chalk drawings on the sidewalk. A community that was complete is now mourning and missing four beloved members.
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