On Oct 15 2026 a 54‑year‑old teacher survived a mass shooting at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon by lying on the floor pretending to be dead, hoping the gunman would not shoot her again.
The shooter, a 16‑year‑old former student who had long been part of special education, fired deadly shots that killed three children aged five, eight and eleven and a 25‑year‑old teacher. He was later killed by a parent who intervened.
Drury recounted that as she tried to close the classroom door the gunman fired a shot that landed in her left arm and knocked her to the floor.
Her left hand was almost severed by the bullet and she sustained severe injuries that left her unable to defend herself or to help the other children.
She said the incident felt “unimaginable” and that her heart has broken for everyone impacted by this tragedy.
The classroom was a special‑education room. Another teacher was said to have thrown a mobile phone toward the shooter in an attempt to disarm him, but the plan failed and she was unharmed.
Police have not yet released an explanation for the suspect’s motive, though investigators say he had a history of conflict with classmates and had been under anger‑control programs for months.
In the confusion the father of two other students entered the classroom, shot the gunman several times, and ended the spree, while others had to improvise: a teacher ran toward the doorway to shield the remaining students from bullets.
The tragedy forced responses across the state; the local school district is investigating after‑shooter procedures, and authorities are reviewing protocols for special‑education schools.
Drury urges people not to jump to conclusions and confirms she was shot before she could react. Her statement is an attempt to clear the record about what happened on that day.
