Becky Drury, a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, released a statement Wednesday describing what she remembers from last Thursday’s shooting. According to Drury, she ran toward the disturbance, saw the shooter, and was hit at close range while trying to close her classroom door. Lying on the floor, she says her left hand was almost completely severed by the gunshot and her other arm was severely injured. Unable to stand or defend anyone, she pretended to be dead.
Her account differs from earlier statements by police, who had said Drury shielded a 7-year-old student named Saylor. Drury’s version of events raises familiar questions about how quickly early reports about victims and heroism get shared during fast-moving tragedies. Drury asked the media to rely on trusted community voices and to respect her family’s privacy during her recovery.
The shooting killed teacher Megan Lambert, 25, and student Rhoam Summer, 5, along with two other children. A 16-year-old former student is accused of firing inside a special needs classroom, and a motive remains unclear. For the Bend community, the weeks ahead will be about grief, healing, and supporting the families who lost someone.
What do you think: should early reports about victims’ actions wait until survivors have a chance to speak?
