Full Breakdown
Parents of Oregon Elementary Victim Hire Attorneys to Probe School Protocols and Gun Purchase
By Drooid · · How we work
Shooting at Silver Rail Elementary
Last week, a 16-year-old student, Griffin J. John II, entered Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, and fired a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun through locked doors. The attack killed three children—including 5-year-old Rhoam Summer—and a teacher, and wounded two additional students and a teacher. Police said John was not enrolled in the Bend-La Pine district at the time but had previously attended the school as a special-needs student. Classes across the district were suspended Monday and Tuesday, and no reopening plan for Silver Rail has been announced.
Parents’ Legal Investigation
The parents of Rhoam Summer, Kelik and Lillian Summer, retained Bend personal-injury attorney Tim Williams to investigate the school’s emergency-response protocols and the manner in which the shooter obtained his weapon. Williams said the firm will examine whether the district had an active-shooter plan, how the shotgun was purchased, and whether the school could be held liable.
School Security Measures and Official Response
Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook said the district has “invested heavily” in security cameras, door locks, fencing and other measures, and that “we practice lockdowns with students and staff twice a year at every school.” He pledged a review of all safety procedures.
Legal Questions About the Firearm Purchase
A law-enforcement source told the Associated Press the shotgun was bought by the shooter’s mother, Shauntai Nickerson, who has not responded to media inquiries. Under Oregon law, a minor may possess a shotgun if provided by a parent or with parental consent. Williams noted, “We don’t know if the shooter’s mother qualified to own a firearm. We don’t know whether or not the dealer was aware that the firearm was being bought for a minor.” The investigation will also assess the dealer’s awareness and compliance with state regulations.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We practice lockdowns with students and staff twice a year at every school,” — Schools Superintendent Steven Cook
- “We don’t know if the shooter’s mother qualified to own a firearm. We don’t know whether or not the dealer was aware that the firearm was being bought for a minor,” — Dwyer Williams, a personal injury attorney in Bend and co-lead counsel for the parents