Gun used in Oregon elementary school shooting was birthday gift from shooter's mom, sources say
A 16-year-old shooter killed four people at an Oregon elementary school using a shotgun that was a birthday gift from his mother. The suspect, a former student, was killed by a bystander who intervened during the attack.
Why it matters
This incident highlights ongoing debates regarding gun control, parental responsibility, and school safety protocols in the United States.
The gun used by a 16-year-old who shot and killed three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, last week was a birthday gift from the shooter's mom, sources told CBS News.The Maverick 88 pump-action 12-gauge shotgun was purchased legally in August 2026 by Shauntai Nickerson, the mother of Griffin J. John II, and given to him for recreational use, the sources said.In 2020, Nickerson told a local television station that her son, who was 10 years old at the time, had special needs and was struggling with remote learning during the pandemic. She told KTVZ, "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."
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