Heart-shaped balloons float among police tape at a makeshift memorial in front of Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Ore., on Oct. 16, 2026.
Eli Imadali / OPB
For the first time since the tragic mass shooting at Silver Rail Elementary last week, Bend Police now say that an adult and a student in the classroom managed to somehow escape unharmed.
Police had previously said at an Oct. 16 press conference that three adults and four students were in the classroom. Three students and one teacher were killed in the shooting. Another teacher and student were injured.
The new information that a teacher and student escaped brings the total number of people in the classroom to five children and four staff members, Bend Police spokesperson Sheila Miller told OPB by phone Monday.
The alleged shooter, 16-year-old Griffin John II, is not included in that count.
Miller said both the newly disclosed adult and the student managed to escape the classroom, although she could not say how they managed to do that.
John had once been a special needs student in the same school, officials revealed last week. His motives for allegedly attacking a special needs classroom at his former school remain unknown.
More also came to light Monday about John’s history at Bend-La Pine Schools. Scott Maben, spokesman for the school district, told OPB that John was last enrolled in the district in November 2025.
John previously attended Elk Meadow Elementary, Pilot Butte Middle School and the former Bend Tech Academy.
Officials said Friday that the shooter only attacked the special needs classroom before a bystander shot and killed him.
OPB reporter Elizabeth Miller contributed to this story.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify John’s status as a former student at Silver Rail.
