A survivor of a 2001 school shooting in California has relived the trauma after her son became trapped during the attack at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon.
Michelle was a freshman when she survived the earlier shooting. She said the experience left her constantly scanning rooms for exits, sitting with her back to doors and living with anxiety and panic attacks.
Those fears continued into adulthood, particularly whenever she dropped her children off at school. On Thursday, they became a reality when her fifth-grade son called her during the violence at Silver Rail.
The boy told her: “Mom, there’s a shooter.” Michelle said she immediately recognised from his voice that something was seriously wrong.
She told him she loved him and instructed him to remain quiet before ending the call to contact 911 and make her way to the school. She continued exchanging text messages with him, reassuring him that police were coming to help and repeating that she loved him.
The boy survived the attack, as his mother had survived the shooting in 2001.
Sixteen-year-old Griffin J. John II is alleged to have carried out the attack with a pump-action shotgun. Three pupils, aged five, eight and 11, and a 25-year-old teacher were killed.
John was later shot and killed inside the school by a good Samaritan, identified as Kaylub Giamanco. Police have not released a motive.
