Mother says hero who stopped Oregon school shooter is left traumatised

What happened

On Thursday around 1 p.m., a 16‑year‑old armed with a long gun forced his way into Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, firing through locked doors. A teacher and three children – ages 5, 8 and 11 – were killed, and two others were left critically injured. Police later confirmed the shooter was killed by a passer‑by who opened fire from a nearby pickup truck.

The hero’s mother speaks

Jenn Johnston, mother of a fifth‑grader who was among the last class released from the school, said her son texted her the moment the lockdown began: “Mom there was a school shooting we’re ok tho.” She and her husband drove to Bend, where parents were directed to a nearby church and left waiting for hours.

When the school finally released the children, Johnston’s son emerged from the bus in tears. “He was the very last class to be released,” she recalled. In the days that followed, a man who had been driving past the school spotted the shooter and, according to witnesses, fired at him, killing the teen.

Johnston says the man’s wife called him “the hero” in the immediate aftermath, but the label now feels like a burden. “He can’t sleep, he keeps replaying the moment,” she told NBC News. “He says he hears the gunshots in his head even when there’s silence.”

A community wrestling with gratitude and grief

Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler described the day as “a dark day for the city” and urged residents to support the family of the hero. “We are grateful for the quick action that saved many lives, but we also recognise the cost that brave citizens pay,” she said at a candlelight vigil in Drake Park.

Other parents, like Mindy Miranda, whose eight‑year‑old daughter was in a third‑grade class when shots rang out, echo the same conflicted emotions. “We are thankful the shooter is dead, yet we see the toll it takes on the man who stopped him,” she said.

Why the trauma matters

Psychologists note that individuals who intervene in mass‑shootings often experience secondary traumatic stress, a condition marked by intrusive memories, anxiety and guilt. The mother’s account underscores how quickly public praise can turn into personal torment when the survivor is left to process the violence alone.

What comes next

Johnston hopes the hero will receive professional counselling and that the city will create a support network for anyone who bears the psychological scars of the event. “He gave his life to protect ours,” she said, “but he also needs help to live his own.”

The tragedy has reignited debates about school security and the role of armed civilians in public spaces, but for the families directly affected, the focus remains on healing the hidden wounds left behind.