Teen Gunman Kills Four at Oregon Elementary School Before Bystander Shoots Him

A 16-year-old gunman killed three children and a teacher at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday afternoon before an armed parent chased him inside and shot him dead.

Police identified the attacker as Griffin J. John II, a resident of Bend who forced his way into Silver Rail Elementary School shortly before 1 p.m. by shooting through locked doors with a pump-action shotgun.

The rampage left a 7-year-old girl and a 54-year-old teacher in critical condition at local hospitals, marking the 36th shooting on American elementary and secondary school grounds this year, according to CNN.

School district officials expressed grief during a news conference as families reunited with surviving students at a nearby church following a lockdown of the campus.

"This is the kind of thing you hear about in other places, and pray that it never happens here," said Steven Cook, the superintendent of the Bend-La Pine School District.

The initial emergency call came from a driver outside the school who reported that a person with a long gun had fired at his vehicle three times, according to Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz.

Krantz said John then climbed a fence, shot through the building's locked doors, and entered a classroom serving special needs students, where all of the victims were shot.

A teacher inside the classroom threw her phone at the gunman and tackled him before an armed parent intervened, actions that police said likely saved additional lives.

Kenda Freeman said in a release that her son, Kaylub Giamanco, was the community member who pursued the shooter inside after seeing him enter the building. Giamanco has two daughters who attend the school.

"He is not seeking recognition, but instead wishes to express his gratitude to the first responders, school personnel and community for the outpouring of love and support," Freeman said in the statement.

Authorities said John was a former special needs student at Silver Rail Elementary who had participated in a district program for behavioral challenges, according to reports by The Hindu and local news accounts.

An official told the Associated Press that the mother of the suspect had purchased the shotgun used in the attack. Under Oregon law, minors may possess a shotgun if provided with parental consent.

The gunman's mother expressed remorse outside her home on Friday while weeping before reporters. "I'm so sorry, I wish I could have done something," said Shauntai Nickerson, the mother of the suspect.

Police identified two of the deceased victims as 5-year-old student Rhoam Summer and 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert. The identities of the 8-year-old and 11-year-old students killed in the attack have not been released.

State leadership praised the parent who stepped in to stop the attack before law enforcement arrived on the scene. "Your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you as well," said Oregon Governor Tina Kotek.

Classes and athletic events were canceled across the school district as investigators worked to determine how the shooter accessed the firearm and what motivated the attack.