A shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday left four children and a teacher dead, and two others critically injured, authorities said. The gunman, identified as 16-year-old Griffin J. John II, opened fire inside a special-needs classroom before being fatally shot by a bystander.

Among the deceased was 5-year-old Rhoam Summer, the youngest victim, described by his father as a “very bright and mischievous” kindergarten student. Rhoam’s father expressed profound grief on social media shortly after the attack, stating that the family was devastated but supported by friends and relatives. Two other boys, aged 8 and 11, also died in the shooting, though their identities have not been publicly released.

The slain teacher, Megan Lambert, was 25 years old and a volleyball coach who had recently begun her career at Silver Rail Elementary. Lambert’s family said she loved her job and that working at the school was her dream. A second teacher, Becky Drury, 54, an award-winning educational assistant, was critically wounded, along with a 7-year-old girl in a wheelchair who was shot in the face. Both remained in critical condition following the attack.

The shooting unfolded after John forcibly entered the classroom where he had once been a student, firing a shotgun loaded with three types of ammunition: 12-gauge birdshot, buckshot, and slugs. Police said he discharged at least 15 rounds but carried 44 additional rounds in his backpack. A teacher in the classroom confronted John and tackled him, allowing a bystander named Giamanco to shoot and kill the gunman. The teacher who intervened was reportedly unharmed.

Emergency responders arrived to find two boys already deceased, with attempts to revive a third unsuccessful. The motive behind John’s actions remains unknown. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz acknowledged that understanding the shooter’s intent is a primary focus of the ongoing investigation but that no definitive answers have yet emerged.

Sparrow Clubs USA, a nonprofit that supports children facing serious medical conditions, confirmed that one of their beneficiaries, Saylor, was among those wounded in the incident.

The attack has left the local community reeling as families mourn the loss of children and educators and grapple with the trauma of the event. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting as they work to provide support to those affected.