Daniel Ngendahimana
An Oregon teacher tried to disarm a 16-year-old gunman who opened fire in a special education classroom at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday.
The teacher threw her phone aside, tackled the suspect and tried to take his shotgun. During the struggle, a 36-year-old father of two pupils entered the school and shot the attacker multiple times, killing him.
Police said the attack killed four people, including two children aged five and eight, an 11-year-old child, and a 25-year-old teacher, Meghan Lambert. Two other people were injured, including a seven-year-old pupil and a 54-year-old teacher.
Police identified the suspect as Griffin J John II, a former student at the school. The motive for the attack remains unclear.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz praised the teacher and the father for their actions, saying they helped prevent further loss of life.
Saying: “To the people who showed courage in the face of such violence, and intervened to prevent this tragedy from being any worse, we owe you a debt of gratitude.”
US President Donald Trump also praised the father, calling him a “great hero.”
The investigation is ongoing as police work to establish how the teenager obtained the gun and what led to the attack.
Sugira Nsabimana Aime Christian
