What happened
A mother, known as Michelle, who survived a school shooting in 2001, was able to communicate with her son via text as a gunman attacked his school in Oregon. The gunman, 16-year-old Griffin John II, killed three students and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend.
Michele's son, a fifth-grader, was able to call her from his Apple Watch and later texted her to say there was a shooter at the school. Michelle, who had not previously told her sons about her own experience of surviving a school shooting, was able to offer her son comfort and advice via text, telling him to remain quiet and wait for the police to arrive.
The attack on Thursday resulted in the deaths of three students, including five-year-old Rhoam Summer, and teacher Meghan Lambert, 25. The gunman was killed by Kaylub Giamanco, a parent who intervened and shot him. The motive behind the attack is currently unknown.
The mother of the gunman, Shauntai Nickerson, has expressed devastation and regret over the incident, saying she wishes she could have done something to prevent it. The family of the teacher who was killed, Meghan Lambert, has described her as compassionate and dedicated to her students, particularly those with special needs.
