7-Year-Old Disabled Student Stabilizes After Oregon School Shooting, $1.1M Donated
Saylor Graham-Poarch, a 7-year-old disabled girl shot at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, has been moved out of intensive care and is now stable.
On Oct. 15, a 16-year-old shooter, Griffin J. John II, entered a special-needs classroom at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, and opened fire, killing three students and a teacher before wounding several others. Among the injured was 7-year-old Saylor Graham-Poarch, a nonverbal child with a CASK gene mutation who normally uses a wheelchair. Hospital officials report that she has left intensive care and is now in a stable condition, though a lengthy recovery lies ahead.
Her family thanked supporters, noting that two separate fundraisers have amassed close to $1.1 million to cover her medical costs, lodging, and other needs. The community had previously recognized Saylor as a “Sparrow” through Sparrow Clubs USA, a program linking high schools with children requiring financial assistance for health care.
Why it matters
The story highlights the human impact of a school shooting and the community’s response to aid a severely injured child.
How this story developed
- Oct 23 Father shoots school gunman in Oregon, saving children but haunted by trauma
- Oct 26 Giamanco issued a public apology to the victims' families.
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