Bend police are investigating how Griffin J. John II, a 16-year-old former pupil they identified as the shooter, obtained the shotgun used in a Thursday, Oct. 15, attack that killed three children and a teacher.
John was no longer enrolled in Bend-La Pine Schools, police said. Officers found a Maverick 88 pump-action 12-gauge shotgun close to him. Police estimated that no more than 15 rounds were fired during the incident and said about 44 rounds of 12-gauge ammunition remained with John or in a backpack. Investigators have not determined how many shots were fired in the classroom.
Three children ages 5, 8 and 11 were killed, along with teacher Megan Lambert, 25. A 7-year-old girl and teacher Becky Drury, 54, were wounded. In a Monday, Oct. 19, update, the department said four adults and five children were in the classroom.
Police have not confirmed who bought the shotgun. CBS News and The Associated Press separately reported, citing law-enforcement sources, that John’s mother purchased it. CBS News later reported that she bought it legally in August 2026 and gave it to John as a birthday gift for recreational use; police have not confirmed those details. In a Monday, Oct. 19, statement, the department said it would withhold more information about John and the weapon while the investigation continued. Police have not announced a motive. EconoTimes previously reported on police efforts to trace John’s route and firearm access in its earlier coverage of the investigation.
Oregon State Police guidance says the minimum age to buy a firearm in the state is 18. The Oregon Health Authority says minors may possess firearms other than handguns with parental consent when that possession is otherwise lawful. The guidance addresses separate questions of purchase and possession.
Police expected most Bend-La Pine students to return Wednesday, Oct. 21, but the department’s latest update did not set a reopening date for Silver Rail Elementary.
