A mother who survived a 2001 school shooting found herself comforting her son by text after gunfire erupted at his Oregon elementary school earlier this week.
The woman, identified only as Michelle, was able to stay in contact with one of her children after 16-year-old Griffin John II opened fire at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend on Thursday.
Michelle told CNN that she was a freshman at Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, California, when Jason Anthony Hoffman shot and wounded five people in 2001.
“I was just in shock. I was like, how can this happen? How can lightning strike twice? How can I go through this and then my children go through this?” she said.
Her fifth-grade son called her from his Apple Watch soon after the shooting began, telling her: “Mom, there’s a shooter.”
Michelle said she immediately knew from the sound of his voice that something was seriously wrong. Moments later, he sent her a text reading: “Shooter at school.”
In text messages shared with CNN, Michelle replied: “Baby I love you don’t call anyone please be as quiet as possible.”
She continued: “If you can safely, text me, that’s OK just don’t make any calls. The police are going to help you. I love you so much.” Her son also managed to tell her that his brother was safe.
Silver Lake Elementary in Bend was photographed Friday afternoon, one day after a shooting that killed three students and a teacher
Michelle stayed in contact with one of her sons by text as the shooting unfolded
Thursday also marked the first time Michelle had told her two sons that she had previously lived through a school shooting.
She said the trauma from the 2001 attack continues to affect her and has led to panic attacks.
“Every single time I dropped them off, and I would see them walk in the front doors, I would get a pit in my stomach thinking, ‘I hope I see him again.’ It’s probably because of the trauma I went through,” Michelle said.
During Thursday’s attack, John killed three students, including five-year-old Rhoam Summer, as well as 25-year-old teacher Meghan Lambert. He was later shot and killed by Kaylub Giamanco.
Seven-year-old Saylor Graham and educational assistant Becky Drury were also injured in the shooting.
Police said John fired 15 rounds before Giamanco shot him. Investigators said the gunman targeted a special-needs classroom where he had once been a student.
The weapon had been purchased by John’s mother around his 16th birthday in August. Authorities said they were still investigating how he obtained the ammunition, describing the case as “very active.” His motive has not been established.
Giamanco rushed toward the school after seeing John enter the building carrying a shotgun.
Griffin John II, 16, is pictured after authorities said he killed three children, aged five, eight and 11, at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday
Meghan Lambert, 25, of Bend, was the teacher killed in the Oregon elementary school shooting
After entering the building, Giamanco saw a teacher grappling with the gunman and fired, killing John at the scene.
The teacher later said she threw her cellphone at John in an attempt to distract him before confronting him and trying to take away his weapon.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz described Giamanco as “a true hero,” saying his decision to observe the situation and follow the gunman into the school had almost certainly saved lives.
“And that is something that came naturally as a protective father. The teacher who is willing to stand and fight for her children is incredible. We all recognize that is true heroism and we don’t see that a lot in society,” Krantz said.
Authorities said John fired as many as 15 rounds and still had 44 rounds remaining when he was killed.
Police also said John appeared determined to reach his former classroom. After coming under fire while attempting to enter through the front, he ran around to the rear entrance.
John was not enrolled in a Bend public school at the time. He walked to Silver Rail Elementary, and investigators are examining the route he took.
Griffin was shot and killed minutes after beginning the attack by Kalub Giamanco, 36, pictured, a father of two children at the school who heard the gunfire while driving home for lunch
Rhoam Summer, pictured with his mother, was identified as one of the children killed in Thursday’s shooting
He threw the Maverick .88 12-gauge pump-action shotgun over a fence before climbing over it, but was unable to get inside through that entrance.
John then moved to the rear of the school and forced his way through a “safety vestibule” designed to protect students from armed intruders.
The gunman’s mother told reporters she was “devastated,” though she declined to confirm whether she had bought the shotgun as a birthday gift for her son.
Shauntai Nickerson said: “I wish I could have done something. I’m so sorry. I miss my boy.”
Lambert’s family remembered her as “compassionate with a huge heart,” saying in a statement that she “always fought for the underdog and those with special needs.”
Rhoam’s aunt, Swan Sheridan, said he “never met a stuffed animal that he didn’t think needed to be rescued and cared for.” She described him as a fearless climber and fast runner who loved to read.
Two other children, aged eight and 11, were also killed. Their names have not yet been released.
