Oregon Records Reveal Shooter's Mother Bought Shotgun Despite Past Charges

The shotgun that killed four people at a Bend elementary school last week belonged to the shooter's mother. She purchased the weapon legally in August, even though she had been accused of assault twice in the prior year. Records examined by the Oregon Journalism Project confirm no final conviction blocked her from buying the gun under state rules.

Law enforcement officials identified the firearm as a Mossberg Maverick 88 pump action. The weapon typically costs between $250 and $300. It was registered in the name of Shauntai Nickerson. Oregon law allows sixteen and seventeen year olds to possess rifles and shotguns if a parent or guardian provides them. The state bars selling guns to those with recent violent misdemeanor convictions. Neither of the two 2023 accusations against Nickerson resulted in such a conviction. A conviction would have made her purchase illegal.

Police reports detail the first incident from January 2023. Nickerson, then forty, and her daughter Ariel Swan allegedly assaulted a woman near a Taco Bell. The report states Nickerson followed the victim in a white SUV and tried to run her over. Both women then got out and attacked the victim. Swan was charged with harassment and attempted assault. Nickerson was not charged in that case. Court records show she was later charged in a separate unrelated case. She pleaded guilty to harassment in October 2023. The district attorney's office dismissed the assault charge two weeks later. A statement on Oct. 23 said prosecutors lacked sufficient evidence for trial.

Tung Yin, a law professor at Lewis & Clark, suggested the outcome reflected a plea bargain. He noted that prosecutors have wide discretion in charging cases. He stated that officials must choose which crimes to pursue because they cannot charge everyone. Police have not explained the shooter's motive. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that investigators are looking at links to extremist groups. The shooter was killed by a parent at the school. Court records describe a chaotic family history. The shooter's father has a felony conviction for assaulting a police officer. He is currently homeless in Astoria. Nickerson was also a victim of domestic violence. Her then boyfriend pleaded guilty to felony assault in 2014 but had convictions vacated after completing a deferred program.

Dr. Harold Schwartz, a psychiatry professor at the University of Connecticut, pointed out that many people share traits like isolation and anger without becoming violent. He emphasized that access to a weapon is the most significant difference. National data show that 77% of mass shooters legally obtained their firearms. More than 80% of school shooters took guns from family members. Some outlets reported the gun was a birthday gift, but this has not been verified. Nickerson, her ex boyfriend, and her daughter did not return calls seeking comment.