The identity of the 16-year-old shooter who carried out a shooting that left four people dead has been uncovered. Per a Friday (October 16) report from CBS News, the teen has been identified as John Griffin. Law enforcement sources shared with the outlet.
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The gunman entered the Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday afternoon and opened fire.
Oregon School Shooter Used Shotgun Purchased By His Mother
Sources also said that the murder weapon used to carry out the assault, a shotgun, was originally purchased by Griffin's mother. Police are still looking for clues as to Griffin's motive for the shooting. They have not identified whether he had a connection to the elementary school.
The latest development led to widespread reactions from users on social media.
"How many innocent children have to be gunned down before Americans finally decide to do something about gun violence?" one person asked on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"And not ONE Oregon gun law or restriction prevented this. Weird that criminals and the mentally insane don't follow the rules," a second user chimed in.
The final death tally for the assault was four people. Three students ages 5, 8, and 11 years old and a teacher. Additionally, a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were rushed to the hospital with "critical injuries."
The damage could have been way more severe if not for an act of heroism by a bystander at the scene. The bystander was later identified as Kaylub Giamanco. A father of two students who attend the elementary school.
Trump referred to the father of two as a "great hero" when speaking to the media about the incident on Friday.
"As bad as it was, we had a great hero that went in and did the business," Trump said (via France24). "It's a terrible thing, but thank goodness for a man that had a gun and knew how to use it."
The investigation into the shooting is still ongoing.
