The key facts

  • 16-year-old Griffin John II killed three children and a teacher in a special needs classroom he himself once attended; the attacker was shot dead by a father passing by
  • A seven-year-old girl and another teacher were wounded but are in stable condition
  • Bend residents are gathering for memorial meetings, and city institutions are organizing activities for children

Tragedy in Bend

In the city of Bend in central Oregon, known for its mountain scenery and outdoor recreation, families are trying to make sense of the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School. According to authorities, 16-year-old Griffin John II opened fire in the same special needs classroom he himself had previously attended, killing three children and a teacher. The attacker was shot dead by a father who happened to be passing by the school and grabbed his own weapon. Another student, a seven-year-old girl, and a second teacher were wounded and are in stable condition.

Children cannot sleep

The seven-year-old nephew of Liz, a city resident, has been unable to sleep since the attack on Thursday. She told AFP that the boy, a student at Silver Rail Elementary, 'kept hearing the sound of gunshots' in his head, even as his parents comforted him all night.

Pediatrician's advice

Local pediatrician Logan Clausen, speaking on CNN, emphasized the importance of communication after such events: 'Talk to them about what they know, about what they feel. You can gently correct inaccurate facts.'

Memorial gathering

On Friday evening, dozens of people, many with children of various ages, gathered on a street in Bend for a memorial gathering. Jeff Michaels, a father of three, told AFP that he and his wife explained to the children that it is normal to talk about what happened and to ask questions. 'We want to know what they feel, and they ask questions. They want to know why this happened, why people are sad,' he said while hugging one of his daughters.

Special needs

For caregivers of children with special needs, the task is especially acute. Since the attack, 56-year-old Sherry Lauer has been watching her five-year-old granddaughter. 'She is nonverbal, so we are not sure how much she understands of what is happening,' she told AFP. The girl does not attend Silver Rail, but during the press conference about the shooting she 'stopped what she was doing and started listening.' No negative reactions have been noticed in her so far.

The city opens its doors

Art centers, restaurants, and parks in Bend — a city of about 100,000 people through which the Deschutes River flows — opened their doors and organized special activities for children over the weekend. An eight-year-old girl at the Friday gathering told AFP: 'My mom cries a lot, and I am sad too.' She attends a different school, but when news alerts started coming in, her mother picked her up and explained what had happened. Her aunt, who asked not to be named, said that her sister encourages the girl to 'just ask questions and answer them as they come.' 'She kept saying she missed me very much after it happened,' the child added.