Who Was John Griffin? Oregon Elementary School Shooter Who Killed 3 Students and Teacher Used Mom’s Pump-Action Shotgun

The Oregon teenager who killed three elementary school students and a teacher before being fatally shot by a bystander has been identified. John J. Griffin used his mother’s pump-action shotgun to attack Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend on Thursday, killing three children, including a five-year-old, and a teacher.

The New York Post was the first to report the identity of the gunman. Three senior law enforcement officials also confirmed the details to NBC News. The 16-year-old gunman critically wounded another student and a teacher before a bystander, believed to be the father of a student, shot and killed him. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear as of now.

Used His Mom’s Shotgun

Griffin approached the school shortly before 1 p.m., where a driver in a Toyota Tacoma pickup confronted him in the parking lot. The gunman fired several rounds at the vehicle, shattering its rear window and leaving it riddled with bullet holes.

Griffin then shot at the locks on the school’s doors before forcing his way inside and opening fire on students and teachers.

Three children, aged five, eight and 11, were killed along with a teacher. A seven-year-old student and a 54-year-old teacher were also left critically injured and hospitalized.

Leah Schwartz, who lives near the school, said she heard three gunshots followed by another three. “They were spaced out, which made us question whether it was gunshots, or someone doing construction,” she told NBC.

Meanwhile, fifth-grade teacher Sheil Smith moved her students into a corner of the classroom as teachers feared for their lives during the attack. “I’m sure that every teacher at the school thought today is the day that I am going to die,” she said. “Save my kids.”

Hero Bystander Killed Gunman

A hero bystander who was the dad of a student intervened just in time. The unidentified dad charged into Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend shortly after 1 p.m., after seeing the 16-year-old gunman enter the building.

He fatally shot the teenager after the Griffin killed three children.

Responding officers were informed of the man’s actions even before they entered the school. “Looks like the shooter has been neutralized – possibly shot by a father at the school,” emergency dispatchers said in audio shared on Broadcastify.

“We don’t know about any patients at this time. Police are arriving,” the dispatcher said. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz confirmed that the shooting spree was stopped by “a community member who had seen the suspect enter the school and pursued him into the school and engaged him.”

Officers entered the building only afterward and confirmed that the gunman had been killed, Krantz said.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek praised the bystander for stepping in to prevent further deaths. “To the community member who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life, your actions carry a heavy emotional burden and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you,” she said.

Authorities have not revealed what weapon the bystander used or whether he held a concealed carry permit.

Fifth-grade teacher Kathy Sheil Smith, who saw the gunman inside the school, also praised the bystander for potentially saving lives. “That person saw something,” she told KPTV. “They did something, and that took its own courage. I’m just grateful that that person was able to apprehend the suspect.”

Oregon lawmakers also commended the bystander for his bravery. Oregon State Rep. Vikki Breese-Iverson said she was “grateful to every first responder who stepped in with urgency to protect our community.”

The shooting marks Oregon’s eighth fatal mass shooting since 1998.