Oregon School Shooter's Birthday Gift Was the Shotgun Used in Attack That Killed Four, Sources Say

The shotgun used in the attack that killed three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, was reportedly a 16th birthday gift from the gunman's mother, according to law-enforcement sources cited by CBS News.

The Maverick 88 pump-action 12-gauge shotgun was purchased legally in August 2026 by Shauntai Nickerson, the mother of 16-year-old suspect Griffin J. John II, and given to him for recreational use, the sources told CBS. Police have said a shotgun of that model was found with or near John after the 15 October attack, which also wounded two others.

The reported gift adds a significant detail to questions about how John obtained the weapon. Authorities have not announced a motive for the shooting, and public reporting has not established whether any law was broken in the purchase, transfer or storage of the shotgun.

How the Classroom Attack Began

Bend police said the incident began shortly before 1pm on 15 October, when John fired at a passing pickup truck outside the school. The driver reported the shooting to emergency services, making the initial 911 call.

Police said John then entered the school grounds and forced his way into the building by shooting through the glass panes of locked double doors. He went into a classroom immediately to the left of the entrance and fired as many as 15 rounds, according to reporting by ABC News.

Three boys, aged five, eight and 11, and 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert were killed. The five-year-old was identified as Rhoam Summer by police and his family. Authorities have not publicly identified the other two boys.

A seven-year-old girl and 54-year-old teacher Becky Drury were wounded. In an update on 19 October, police said nine people — four adults and five children — had been in the classroom during the attack.

Investigators reported finding a Maverick 88 shotgun and 44 rounds of ammunition with or near John. CBS News reported that the ammunition included birdshot, buckshot and slugs. Authorities have not publicly explained what may have prompted the attack.

Armed Parent Stepped in as Teacher Fought Gunman

Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old father whose two daughters attend Silver Rail, saw the incident involving the pickup truck and followed John towards the school, police said. Giamanco had a .40-calibre pistol secured in his vehicle, according to reporting by CBS News.

Inside the classroom, Lambert struggled with the attacker, according to reports of the police account. Giamanco entered the room and shot John, who died at the scene. The intervention brought the attack to an end before police officers reached the school, according to the initial police timeline.

The actions of the teacher and Giamanco have drawn attention to the efforts made to stop the shooting. The sequence of events is still being investigated, however, and the available information does not establish that any individual or institution acted unlawfully.

Investigators Probe Gun Access and School Safety

John had previously attended Silver Rail Elementary but was not enrolled in Bend-La Pine Schools at the time of the shooting, according to police.

Investigators have been examining John's computer, phone, social-media activity, search history and other digital records, CBS News reported. Authorities have not released findings from that review or announced a motive.

The parents of Rhoam Summer have hired attorneys to investigate the school's safety plans and how the teenager obtained the shotgun, The Associated Press reported on 20 October. The inquiry is at an early stage, and the development does not establish wrongdoing by the school or Nickerson.

The reported birthday gift is likely to remain a focus of questions about the weapon's history and access. The public information available so far does not detail all the circumstances surrounding its transfer or storage. The fact that the shotgun was reportedly a gift does not, by itself, establish criminal wrongdoing by Nickerson.

The victims' families and the Bend community are mourning the deaths as investigators continue to establish the sequence of events. Summer's family described him as an energetic child who loved running and climbing, according to a fundraising appeal reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting.

The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not announced a motive for the attack.