77% of Mass Shooters Used Legally Obtained Guns, New Data Shows

A week after a mass shooting killed four people at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, scrutiny has intensified on how a 16-year-old student reached his former school with a loaded shotgun. Documents reviewed by the Oregon Journalism Project indicate the weapon belonged to the boy’s mother, who had faced two assault accusations in 2023. Despite these prior legal issues, no conviction was recorded, allowing her to buy the firearm legally.

Law enforcement officials confirmed that Shauntai Nickerson purchased the Mossberg Maverick 88 pump-action shotgun in August. The weapon, typically priced between $250 and $300, was registered to her name. While officials have not disclosed the specific retailer, Oregon law permits 16 and 17-year-olds to possess rifles and shotguns if a parent or guardian provides them. This legal framework placed the burden of responsibility on the adult owner.

State law prohibits the sale of firearms to individuals convicted of a violent misdemeanor, such as assault, within the previous four years. Because neither of the 2023 accusations against Nickerson resulted in an assault conviction, this restriction did not apply. Had she been convicted in either case, the purchase would have been illegal under current statutes.

The first incident occurred in January 2023, involving Nickerson and her 19-year-old daughter, Ariel Swan. A Bend police report describes the pair assaulting a woman outside a Taco Bell. Nickerson allegedly followed the victim in a white SUV and attempted to run her over before both women exited the vehicle to attack. Nickerson was not charged, though police noted she charged at officers during the scene. Less than two months later, she was charged with assault and harassment in a separate case involving a woman in her early 40s. She pleaded guilty to harassment in October 2023, and the assault charge was dismissed two weeks later.

In a statement issued on October 23, the Deschutes County District Attorney’s office explained that the dismissal was due to a lack of sufficient evidence to win at trial. Tung Yin, a professor at Lewis & Clark Law School, noted that the outcome likely reflected a plea bargain designed to avoid the costs and unpredictability of a full trial. He emphasized that prosecutors exercise wide discretion in deciding which cases to pursue.

Police have not identified a specific motive, though investigators are examining possible links to extremist groups. The shooter was killed by a parent at the scene. Background records show a history of domestic violence in the family, including a felony conviction for Nickerson’s former boyfriend. Dr. Harold Schwartz, a psychiatry professor who studies school shooters, highlighted that isolation and anger are common traits among shooters, but the decisive factor is often access to a weapon.

Data from the National Institute of Justice indicates that 77% of mass shooters legally accessed their firearms. Additionally, more than 80% of school shooters obtained guns from family members. While some reports suggest the shotgun was a birthday gift, this detail has not been verified by the Oregon Journalism Project. Nickerson and her family members did not return calls seeking comment.