The parents of Rhoam Summer, one of three children killed at the mass shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in southeast Bend on Oct. 15, have retained legal representation from three law firms as of Monday.
The law firms Dwyer Williams & Cherkoss, Simon Greenstone & Panatier and Worthington & Caron announced that they have been retained to “preserve and protect” Rhoam’s memory and investigate any potential legal claims, stemming from last week’s shooting at the Bend elementary school.
“October 15, 2026, will be remembered as Bend’s worst day in its proud history,” the joint release stated.
Rhoam is the youngest person ever killed in a school shooting in the United States, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database, which dates to 1966.
The youngest victim at the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut, for example, was six-year-old Noah Pozner, a first grader.
The Summer family has created a tribute to Rhoam, whom they remember as an empathetic and energetic little boy who loved climbing, dancing and rainbows. He cherished his stuffed animals and he was particularly fond of animals like sharks and dinosaurs he felt were misunderstood.
The Summers’ legal team will begin a civil investigation — separate from the criminal one law enforcement agencies are conducting — into the circumstances around the shooting.
“The team’s primary objectives are to discover the truth, determine accountability, and pursue justice on behalf of Kelik and Lillian Summer, the parents of Rhoam,” according to the statement.
The investigation will examine several critical factors, including whether adequate security protocols were in place and enforced, whether active shooter protocols were performed as they should have been, whether there were prior warnings from the shooter or others, where the weapon was purchased and how it was marketed, and how the underage shooter was allowed to gain access to the weapon and the school.
The three firms have established a dedicated, secure portal and support line for survivors, witnesses, and family members seeking legal guidance or wishing to share information relevant to the investigation.
“We are stunned that such a heinous assault has happened in our peaceful community. Senseless, barbaric and depraved? Yes,” Bend attorney and co-counsel Tim Williams said in the statement. “But was it foreseeable and thus preventable? That’s what we’ll find out. …We’ll be investigating any systemic failures that may have allowed this tragedy to happen. We are committed to holding all responsible parties accountable to ensure a tragedy like this never happens again and justice in done in Rhoam’s name.”
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