Disabled girl, 7, shot in face during elementary school massacre is out of intensive care but faces very long recovery, family says
Seven-year-old Saylor Graham-Poarch has moved out of intensive care after being shot in the face during a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary in Oregon. Her family said she is stable but faces a long recovery, while expressing grief for the three children and a teacher who were killed.
Saylor, who uses a wheelchair and has a rare CASK gene mutation affecting her development, was in a special needs classroom when the shooting happened on 15 October. Police say 16-year-old Griffin J John II killed four people before being stopped by Kaylub Giamanco, a father of two pupils at the school. Saylor’s family thanked the community for its support and shared a fundraising link to help with recovery costs and time spent caring for her.
In short
- Saylor Graham-Poarch is stable and out of intensive care.
- Her family says she faces a long recovery.
- Four people were killed in the school shooting.
Explained simply
Silver Rail Elementary is a primary school in Oregon, in the north-western United States. A rare CASK gene mutation has affected seven-year-old Saylor Graham-Poarch’s development, and she uses a wheelchair; she was in a special needs classroom when the shooting took place.
Police say 16-year-old Griffin J John II killed three pupils and a teacher at the school before being stopped by Kaylub Giamanco, whose two children attend there. The deaths and the injuries to survivors have affected families and the wider school community, while Saylor’s care needs add to the challenges of her recovery.