Teacher wounded in Oregon school shooting says she could not protect students

A teacher who was shot while trying to intervene in the attack on a special-education classroom at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, said she never had a chance to protect the children inside. In a statement released by a family friend, Becky Drury recounted that she ran toward the classroom, saw the shooter, and attempted to close the door, but the gunman was already there. She added that he shot her at close range, severely injuring her left hand and striking her right arm, forcing her to play dead in hopes of avoiding further fire.

Three children – ages 5, 8 and 11 – and a teacher were killed in the incident, and another student remains critically injured. Police said a second teacher threw her phone at the gunman and then tackled him, actions that likely saved additional lives before the shooter was shot by a father who entered the building.

Drury, who is still hospitalized, said she wants the record set straight after some reports claimed she had thrown herself on a student. "Accurate, respectful reporting is a truly important service that will help heal the wounds inflicted by that day," she said.

The Bend Police Department announced that schools in the district reopened on Wednesday with a visible police presence. The department continues its investigation, executing search warrants at the suspect’s home and on his electronic devices. Authorities confirmed the pump-action shotgun used in the attack was legally purchased, though investigators are still examining how the 16-year-old obtained it.