Daijiworld Media Network - Bend
Bend, Oct 22: A teacher injured in a deadly shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, has revealed that she pretended to be dead after being shot at close range, hoping the attacker would not shoot her again.
Becky Drury, 54, said in a statement that she was shot before she had an opportunity to react when a gunman entered the school on October 15. The shooting claimed the lives of three children and a teacher, while several others were injured.
Drury said she heard something happening outside her classroom and went to investigate. When she saw the shooter, she immediately ran back towards her classroom and attempted to shut the door. However, the attacker was already there.
“Before I could do anything more, he shot me at close range and I fell to the ground,” she said in the statement obtained by USA TODAY.
Lying on the floor, Drury realised that her left hand had been almost completely severed by the gunshot and that her other arm had also sustained severe injuries. Unable to stand, defend herself or protect anyone else, she decided to pretend to be dead in the hope that the attacker would leave her alone.
“I could not get up, defend myself, or protect anyone else,” she said. “So, I did the only thing I could do, which was to pretend to be dead in the hope he would not shoot me again.”
Drury said she had decided to speak publicly to clarify reports about what happened inside the classroom. Police had earlier said that a teacher threw a mobile phone at the suspect and tackled him without suffering injuries. Drury stressed that she had been shot before she could take any action.
“The truth is I was shot before I had any chance to act,” she said, expressing heartbreak over the tragedy and its impact on the school community.
Police identified the shooter as 16-year-old Griffin J. John II. Authorities said the teenager entered Silver Rail Elementary School and forced his way into a special education classroom before a bystander who had followed him into the school fatally shot him.
Drury suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital. She has undergone multiple surgeries since the shooting and faces a lengthy recovery involving further operations and physical therapy.
According to updates posted by her husband on a verified GoFundMe page, Drury was scheduled to undergo another surgery on October 22 to help rebuild connections in her hand. An update on October 20 said she had begun making small movements with her fingers, which her family considered an encouraging sign.
Her husband said she would require additional surgery and extensive physical therapy to recover physically. He also highlighted the emotional toll of the incident, saying her psychological healing would require time and support.
Two of the victims who died in the shooting have been publicly identified as five-year-old Rhoam Summer and 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert.
Rhoam’s parents described him as a kindhearted child who loved dancing, sharing and rainbows and unicorns. They said he enjoyed cuddling and often sang to himself when upset, adding that his heart and affection seemed to grow every day.
Lambert, a Bend native, had been working at the school in what her family described as her dream job. They remembered her as compassionate and caring, saying she consistently stood up for vulnerable people and those with special needs.
A local youth nonprofit also identified seven-year-old Saylor Graham-Poarch as another person injured in the attack.
The shooting has left the school community grieving as survivors and families continue to cope with the physical and emotional consequences of the tragedy.