On May 21, 1998, Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon, was the scene of a school shooting that left 16-year-old student Ben Walker critically wounded. The attack began outside the school near the patio, where the gunman fired on students; Walker was struck in that initial volley and taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

The shooter, 15-year-old Kipland Kinkel, then entered the crowded cafeteria and continued shooting, killing 17-year-old Mikael Nickolauson and wounding many others. Several students tackled the gunman as he attempted to reload, and he was arrested at the scene. Walker died within 24 hours of the shooting.

Kinkel later confessed to killing his parents the day before and to the school attack. He pleaded guilty to multiple counts related to those crimes, and his actions were linked in reports to severe mental health issues, including hearing voices.