Oregon school shooter allegedly forced his way into special-needs classroom, killing 4

BEND, OREGON: Griffin J John, the 16-year-old accused of killing three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School, allegedly went to great lengths to enter the building before heading to his former special-needs classroom. The shooting took place on Thursday, October 15, in Bend, Oregon, leaving three students, aged 5, 8 and 11, and a teacher dead.

A 7-year-old child in a wheelchair and a 54-year-old teacher were also injured. A father who confronted the teenager outside the school ultimately stopped the attack, according to law-enforcement sources cited by the New York Post.

Griffin J John allegedly forced his way into Oregon school

John reportedly threw his Maverick 88, a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, over the fence at Silver Rail Elementary School around 1 pm Thursday before climbing over himself. He tried to enter through the front door but was stopped by two bystanders, including a father of two girls who attended the school.

The man, who was carrying a concealed weapon, reportedly opened fire on John, preventing him from entering through the front.

John then ran to the back of the building and allegedly forced open a locked door. He entered the school and headed toward his former special-needs classroom, where he opened fire, according to the report. The father ultimately shot and killed the teenager.

Why did Griffin J John allegedly target his former special-needs classroom?

John's connection to the classroom has emerged as a key detail in the shooting. Law-enforcement sources cited by the New York Post said he went directly to the special-needs classroom he had previously attended. His special-education history was also discussed in a 2020 KTVZ report, which featured comments from his mother, Shauntai Nickerson, about his struggles with remote learning during the pandemic.

“I think it will be great for Griffin [to return to the classroom] because I am not certified teaching a special-needs student,” Nickerson told the outlet at the time.

However, his educational history does not establish why he allegedly targeted the classroom, and the motive behind the attack remains unclear from the information provided.

Griffin J John's mother says he was a good boy

Nickerson was seen crying outside her home on Friday, October 16, according to the New York Post. She reportedly expressed grief over her son, saying, “I'm sorry … I miss him,” and describing him as “a good boy, he really was.”

John's mother did not discuss the purchase of the shotgun used in the attack. The weapon had reportedly been legally purchased by her around the time of his August birthday, according to law-enforcement sources cited by the outlet.

“If I could have prevented this, I would have,” Nickerson said.