A teen accused of gunning down three children and a teacher at an Oregon elementary school on Thursday has been identified as John J. Griffin II, three senior law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation told NBC News.
It was not immediately clear if the 16-year-old alleged gunman had a connection to Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, where officials said an armed bystander fatally shot the teen and interrupted the shooting spree.
Victims included children ages 5, 8 and 11. A 7-year-old and a teacher were critically injured.
Two senior law enforcement officials told NBC News that the teen’s mother purchased the long gun he used around his birthday in August.
The mother, whose name was not released, has been cooperative with law enforcement thus far, according to other law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation. Those officials said that the shooter’s weapon was pump-action shotgun.
Police and other local officials were expected to update the public Friday at a 5 p.m. local time press conference.
A makeshift memorial at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Ore., on Friday.Haven Daley / AP
Police and federal investigators have not publicly identified a motive.
Officials said the gunman shot through a locked door to gain entry into the school around 1 p.m. local time.
“There are simply no words for the loss that we have suffered today,” Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler said at a community vigil hours after the tragedy.