In brief
Becky Drury, a 54‑year‑old teacher at Silver Rail Elementary, said she pretended to be dead when a 16‑year‑old former student opened fire, hoping to avoid further shots. She described being severely wounded, with a severed left hand and a badly injured right arm, but survived the attack. The gunman killed three students and a teacher before a parent chased him out and shot him. Drury’s testimony clarifies earlier reports that conflicted about her actions during the chaos. The incident highlights ongoing concerns around youth violence and school safety.
Some readers may find this article disturbing.
Becky Drury, a 54‑year‑old teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, is the sole survivor of a mass shooting that took place on 15 October. She testified that she was attempting to shut her classroom door when the 16‑year‑old former student opened fire.
"I did the only thing I could do, which was to pretend to be dead in the hope he would not shoot me again," Drury said in a statement to the media. She fell to the floor as a bullet struck her, leaving her left hand nearly severed and her right arm badly wounded.
The attacker killed five‑year‑old Rhoam Summer, eight‑ and eleven‑year‑olds, and 25‑year‑old teacher Megan Lambert. The lone survivor’s remarks clarify earlier reports that had suggested she might have been protected by a teacher who threw herself on top of a student.
A parent who followed the suspect back into the building later shot and killed the gunman, whose name has been given as Griffin J John II. The motive remains unclear; investigators say the suspect was a special‑education needs student at the school.
Drury describes the classroom event as "unimaginable" and expressed a broken heart for all affected. "Like so many in this community, my heart is broken for everyone affected by this tragedy," she said.
In light of the tragedy, local authorities are reviewing school safety protocols and students' access to firearms and other weapons.
