12 to 14 punches: The final domestic dispute in the life of the Bend school shooter

The 16-year-old boy who killed three children and a teacher at a Bend, Oregon, school had recently survived a violent home invasion.

Griffin John II was the target of a physical attack in 2025 that police records describe as a domestic dispute.

The timeline of John’s life reveals a pattern of violence that began when he was 11 years old.

In a 2022 police report, John’s mother, Shauntai Nickerson, stated that a friend of his sister assaulted John at their home.

According to the report, the friend slapped John across the face, chipping a tooth, and punched him in the back of the head four to six times.

The responding officer noted that John had a cognitive disability based on his non-verbal speech communication and speech patterns.

John told the officer he was upset and crying because he was being bullied at school.

He expressed concern about reporting the bullying because his mother would get upset.

The officer attempted to contact the friend but found all phone numbers disconnected or out of service.

A second officer visited the home but was unable to speak with the friend.

In 2025, more than three years after the first incident, John was assaulted by a man Nickerson had a relationship with.

Nickerson told police she was arguing with the man about his involvement with other women when she placed his belongings outside her apartment door and called 911 after he forced his way inside and banged on the door before entering the apartment to argue further, leading to a physical confrontation that turned violent when John tried to stand up for his mother as the man refused to leave the apartment, according to the police report. John said he told the man he needed to leave, but the man shoved him twice, causing him to drop his phone. When John bent to pick it up, the man bodyslammed him to the ground and wrapped his arm around John’s head and neck. John told the officer the man punched him in the head 12 to 14 times. The man left when he learned police were on their way. Nickerson and John decided not to pursue charges, telling police the matter was resolved. On Oct. 15, 2026, John opened fire on a special-needs classroom at Silver Rail Elementary School. He was killed by a man with two daughters at the school. Two other people were injured in the shooting. Law enforcement is still investigating the motive for the shooting. The police records show John experienced violence at a young age. Court and police records detail a home life marked by financial instability and run-ins with law enforcement for both parents.