Silver Rail EA Miah Hergert Issues Statement After Oct. 15 Bend School Shooting
The inclusion assistant was inside the special needs classroom when the 16-year-old shooter killed four children and two teachers.
By Thabo Hoffmann ·
Miah Hergert, an inclusion educational assistant at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, released a public statement on Sunday regarding the mass shooting that occurred on October 15.
Police report that a 16-year-old former student entered the building and opened fire while Hergert was inside a special needs classroom. The attacker killed teacher Megan Lambert, 25, and three students: Rhoam Summer, 5, and two other children, ages 8 and 11. The shooter died at the scene. Two others survived the attack: teacher Becky Drury and a 7-year-old girl.
Hergert posted her remarks on the Bend-La Pine Schools district website. She addressed the local community and the families affected by the loss. She described the event as a moment of "unimaginable darkness" mixed with "extraordinary love."
"To the angels who saved my life, thank you," Hergert wrote. "I will carry you in my heart forever. My heart aches for the families who lost their loved ones."
The assistant noted that Bend had become her home in less than a year. She stated that working with the children restored the joy and innocence of her own childhood. She expressed gratitude to the teachers who treated her like family and to the community for its support. "These children are our light, and I hope to continue growing alongside them," she said.
The school district has scheduled the reopening of Silver Rail Elementary for November 12. Hergert concluded her statement by expressing belief that the community can find a way forward together.
