In the second full day since a 16-year-old gunman shot and killed three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, dozens of people visited a memorial to pay their respects, piling flowers, stuffed animals, candles, posters and balloons near a sign at the entrance to the school’s parking lot.
Blue paper hearts on four small white crosses were crammed with handwritten messages to each of the victims: 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert, 5-year-old Rhoem Summer and two other children, ages 8 and 11. A few people played handheld instruments in the wind, creating resonant sounds meant for soothing and healing.
Most looked on solemnly, sobbing and hugging.
Kristi Mekkars said her family stayed at home Friday, the day after the shooting. On Saturday afternoon they huddled together at the memorial.
“We’re trying to do something out of the house, and it’s not easy,” Mekkars said through tears.
Mekkars’ son, Owen, is a fifth grader at Silver Rail who was unharmed in the shooting. Processing the violence has been difficult, Mekkars said.
“Owen keeps waking up and saying, ‘I wish this never happened,’” Kristi Mekkars said. “I can barely process it and I’m 40. How’s he supposed to process at 11?”
Owen Mekkars took a piece of blue chalk and sprawled his message in large font on the sidewalk in front of the memorial: “I wish this never happened.”
“At least I wrote it down,” he said.
His writing joined countless other chalk messages on the sidewalk: “Fly high, little angels.”
“Rest in Peace, you will never be forgotten.” Others were addressed to the victims. “Megan, you’re amazing.” “Rhoem Summers, we love you.”
“You got this Saylor.”
Saylor Graham, the 7-year-old girl injured in the shooting, was “fighting for her life” at Oregon Health & Science University on Friday, according to police. On Saturday, Bend Police said the child’s status hadn’t changed since their last update, the Source reported.
Behind the yellow crime tape and across the school grounds, people moved in and out of the school as the investigation into the shooting continues. Authorities will relinquish the crime scene Oct. 20, police said, but the school will remain closed for an undetermined amount of time, Bend-La Pine Schools said Friday.
Police said the shooter shot out the locks on the door to Silver Rail before entering a classroom of special needs children where the killing took place. A bystander, reportedly Silver Rail father of two Kaylub Giamanco, followed the shooter into the school shot and killed the assailant in the classroom.
Mandy Winters is a Bend a mother of three children ages 6, 7 and 10. Her youngest is in the special education program at Bear Creek Elementary, but Wilder said she considered enrolling her kids at Silver Rail when signing up for school.
With the victims so close in age to her own children, “it’s just really sad,” Wilder said, as her kids drew with sidewalk chalk. “It’s not your baby, but it feels like your baby.”
Roger Austin is an 83-year-old retired police officer who grew up in Bend and has lived there for nearly five decades. During his time in the police, crimes involving children were always the toughest to process, he said.
“I can remember going home in the middle of a shift and looking at my kids in their cribs and beds and making sure they were OK,” he said at the memorial on Saturday. “I think that’s how the community is dealing with it now — grateful for what didn’t happen in their personal life, but feeling grief and sorrow for all those who have suffered.”
Kristi Mekkers, whose son goes to Silver Rail, said she’s thankful he’s OK. But the tears just keep coming, she said.
“You think the tears are going to stop, you think you’ve cried everything you can possibly cry, and then it’s just all over again,” Mekkers said.
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