Date: Oct. 16, 2026   
Case #: 2026-00057584  
Incident: UPDATE: Active shooter incident at Silver Rail Elementary School  
Date / Time of Incident: Oct. 15, 2026 / 12:59 p.m.   
Location: Silver Rail Elementary, 61530 SE Stone Creek Lane, Bend  

The Bend Police Department would like to provide an update reflecting information shared in today’s press conference. 

“Yesterday was a terrible day for our community, and I appreciate the thousands of people who showed up at last night’s vigil at Drake Park because you care about each other, and that mattered,” Chief Mike Krantz said. “That is what community looks like.”  

To recap: 

At 12:59 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15, Deschutes County Dispatch received a 911 call from a person in a vehicle who reported being shot at multiple times by a person with a long gun. Dispatch received dozens of 911 calls reporting that a shooter had entered the building at Silver Rail Elementary School on SE Stone Creek Lane in Bend. Dispatch used a tone to alert all law enforcement at 1 p.m. Officers responding to the scene directed the school to go into lockdown at 1:01 p.m.  

Our first officers arrived on the scene at 1:02 p.m., and moments later, an officer reported the suspect had been shot several times by a community member.    

Five people succumbed to their injuries at the scene, including the suspect. The deceased at the scene include three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, and one 25-year-old teacher. One 7-year-old child and one 54-year-old teacher were transported by Bend Fire to St. Charles Bend with critical injuries. All students and staff at the scene were transported by Bend-La Pine School buses to Journey Church for reunification with families and guardians.   

Here is the new information that Bend Police shared today:

At approximately 12:58 p.m. on Thursday, Oct.15, two vehicles were traveling westbound on Brentwood Avenue near Silver Rail Elementary. At that time, the suspect approached the fenced rear of the school from an undeveloped area near Nina Avenue. The suspect crossed the street, threw his weapon over the fence, and climbed the fence onto school property. The driver of a red Toyota pickup truck witnessed this and verbally confronted the suspect. The suspect fired at the pickup, striking it at least three times. After the red pickup was fired upon, the driver continued down the street and made the initial 911 call.  

The driver of a second vehicle, a 36-year-old man whose children attend the school, also witnessed this initial shooting incident. He drove into the elementary school parking lot.  

The suspect walked westbound along the south side of the school and forced entry through an external set of double doors. He fired multiple rounds into the glass panes in the door to gain access to the school, then went directly into the classroom immediately to the left of the entry doors. He fired as many as 15 rounds in all, though the exact number fired in the classroom is still under investigation. All victims were shot in that classroom.  

Three types of ammunition were used by the suspect over the course of the incident – 12-gauge birdshot, buckshot and slugs.  

The 36-year-old man who parked at the school took out a 40-caliber pistol that was legally secured in his vehicle and entered through the forced-open doors. He saw a teacher involved in a physical altercation with the suspect and fired his weapon, striking the suspect multiple times.  

The injured 7-year-old girl, who received lifesaving care at the scene, is currently at OHSU. She is in serious but stable condition.  

The injured 54-year-old female teacher suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries and is currently at St. Charles Bend. After today's media event, the family of the 54-year-old female teacher injured in the shooting gave permission to identify her. She is Becky Drury of Bend. A photo of her is attached to this release.

Officers and medics on scene attempted lifesaving care on one boy at the scene. Two other children, both boys, and a teacher were deceased when officers arrived. 

The 5-year-old child is Rhoam Summer, and has been identified at the request of his family. A photo of him is attached to this release. The other families of the child victims have requested we not identify them. The teacher who was killed has been identified as 25-year-old Megan Lambert of Bend. Her photo and her family’s statement is included at the bottom of this release. Please note the corrected spelling.

Arriving officers on scene located a Maverick 88 pump-action 12-gauge shotgun near the suspect, as well as a backpack. In total, the suspect had approximately 44 remaining rounds of 12-gauge ammunition on his person or in the backpack.  

In addition to the 36-year-old man who bravely stepped in to stop the suspect, another person’s heroics must be shared. A teacher in the classroom threw her cell phone at the suspect, then tackled him and fought to take the firearm from him. She was not injured in the incident.   

We have activated the Tri-County Major Incident Team. Roughly 150 law enforcement and first responder personnel have been involved in this investigation. We are thankful for their assistance, including members of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Police, Oregon State Police, FBI, ATF, and more.  

Our crime scene analyst has completed a digital scan of the entire scene. We have collected evidence and executed a search warrant at the home of the suspect. Interviews are ongoing. Officers on scene this morning completed a second walkthrough of the scene. Our team does not intend to relinquish the scene until Tuesday of next week at the earliest, to ensure our search for evidence is complete.  

FBI Victim Services Division advocates will work with Bend-La Pine Schools to assist people who want to collect their belongings from the unaffected areas of the building.  

The suspect has been identified as 16-year-old Griffin J. John II. He previously attended Silver Rail Elementary. We believe he traveled to the school on foot, although the route remains under investigation. He is not currently enrolled in Bend-La Pine Schools. 

How the suspect obtained the weapon and ammunition remains part of the active criminal investigation.  

We are asking the public for their assistance in helping us determine how the suspect got to Silver Rail Elementary School. Please review any video footage you may have from between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15. We are looking for video evidence specifically in the area between Third Street and Brosterhous Road, as well as in the area of Silver Rail Elementary School, of a teenage male, approximately 6 feet tall and 140 pounds, wearing black pants, a black T-shirt and a black backpack. If you find video that you believe is helpful, you can follow this link https://bendpdor.evidence.com/axon/community-request/public/silverrail and submit it.

The FBI has set up a tipline for this incident. You can call 1-800-CALL-FBI or go to www.fbi.gov/silverrailschool.

Megan Lambert Family Statement

To tell you about who Megan was would take 25 years. Megan was a native Central Oregonian. She grew up in Bend. She had a passion for playing sports, especially volleyball. She was a volleyball coach. She actually turned down pay for her first season as a coach so families who couldn't afford to participate could have the chance to play the sport she loved. Her goal was to be an educator and teach in the school district she loved growing up in. She graduated from Mountain View High School in 2019.  She graduated from Boise State in May of 2023. She traveled abroad to Barcelona Spain with TEFL Iberia. Silver Rail was her first job as a teacher, though she subbed there for many years before through High Desert ESD. She LOVED Silver Rail - this was her dream job. Megan was compassionate and had a huge heart.  She always fought for the underdog and those with special needs. She was an incredible sister, daughter, niece, and granddaughter. Her friends became her family. She was funny and opinionated, and she lit up the room.

We want the bystander who intervened to know we know he is going through a rough time, but we are grateful and we think he is a hero. You selflessly put yourself at risk for others.  We would like the other families to know they are in our thoughts and prayers. Megan loved those children and so we will show you love for her.