Oregon teacher who fought Bend school shooter speaks out - Newsweek

Cassidy Schutz, the teacher who tackled the gunman during the deadly shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, has released her first public statement since the October 15 attack.

The statement offers the first account from Schutz herself since police identified her as the staff member who threw her cellphone at the shooter and fought him for his shotgun during the violence.

Schutz said she is now focused on the victims, the school community and her own recovery, and asked for privacy while saying she does not plan to make further public statements.

Bend-La Pine Schools released the statement Friday, identifying Schutz as a certified learning specialist at Silver Rail and the employee who "engaged directly with the assailant," as Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz previously described.

"There are no words to describe the depth of sadness I am feeling following the events of October 15th," Schutz said. "This is not a story. This is a horrific and heartbreaking tragedy, and it is our real lives."

Three children and 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert were killed in the shooting. A 7-year-old student and teacher Becky Drury were wounded before the 16-year-old gunman was fatally shot.

The shooting devastated a school community that had begun the day with picture day. Other teachers later described sheltering children in classrooms as gunfire could be heard elsewhere in the building.

"My thoughts are with those who were lost, their families, those who were hurt, and those who were there that day," Schutz said in her statement. "My heart is with you."

She also described the lasting emotional impact of the shooting and suggested how quickly events unfolded. "It all happened so fast, and I wish with everything in me that we had more time," Schutz said. "The pain of this loss I will carry with me forever."

Schutz said her attention remains on "these families, our team, our school, and my own healing." She asked for "time, space, and privacy" as she processes the attack and said she would not make additional public statements for now.

Police have said Schutz confronted the gunman inside Silver Rail during an attack that unfolded within minutes. According to Krantz, the teacher threw her cellphone at the shooter and physically struggled with him in an effort to take away his shotgun. Schutz was not wounded.

The shooting began shortly before 1 p.m. after authorities said the gunman approached the school armed with a 12-gauge shotgun. A driver outside the school encountered him before he crossed a fence and moved toward the building. Police have said the gunman then shot through locked doors to gain entry and went into a special education classroom near the entrance.

Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old father of two Silver Rail students, witnessed part of what was happening and followed the gunman into the school with a legally stored handgun, according to authorities. Police said Giamanco saw Schutz struggling with the shooter before entering the classroom and opening fire on the teenager.

Officers arrived at the school at approximately 1:02 p.m., about three minutes after the first emergency call, authorities said. By then, Giamanco had fatally shot the gunman.

Drury was seriously wounded during the attack. Drury said she stepped out of the special education classroom after realizing something was wrong, saw the gunman and hurried back toward the room. She said the shooter reached her before she could close the door and shot her at close range.

Drury later sought to correct reports that she had shielded a student during the shooting, saying her injuries left her unable to get back up or defend those around her. She said she instead pretended to be dead in hopes that the gunman would not shoot her again.

Authorities identified the gunman as 16-year-old Griffin J. John II, a former Silver Rail student. Police said he fired as many as 15 rounds during the attack and had approximately 44 additional shotgun rounds with him.

Lambert and three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, were killed. The family of the youngest victim identified him as Rhoam Summer.

Drury has undergone multiple surgeries for her injuries, according to updates provided by her family. The family of the wounded 7-year-old said on October 26 that she had been moved out of intensive care.

The attack has left Silver Rail families confronting another difficult question: when students should return to the building where the shooting occurred.

Bend-La Pine Schools surveyed parents, guardians and staff about the school's reopening and said on October 27 that 86 percent of respondents supported eventually bringing students back to Silver Rail. The district said the building would remain closed at least through November 6 while repairs continue, but did not announce a reopening date.

Students elsewhere in the Bend-La Pine district returned to classes on October 21, with additional police officers stationed at schools during the initial return. Mental health services have also been made available as students, educators and families contend with the aftermath.

For Schutz, however, Friday's statement made clear that the immediate path forward is personal rather than public.

"There are no words for this unimaginable reality we are facing," she said. "My focus is on these families, our team, our school, and my own healing."

Anyone experiencing emotional distress after violence can call or text 988 for 24/7 crisis support. The Disaster Distress Helpline is also available at 1-800-985-5990 for people affected by disasters or mass violence.

Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Samantha Beech and Anthony Murray.