Father shoots school attacker at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon
On Oct. 16, 2026, Kaylub Giamanco, a 36‑year‑old carpenter and father of two children attending Silver Rail Elementary, entered the Bend, Oregon, school and shot the 16‑year‑old gunman, ending a rampage that had already claimed three young lives and a teacher.
The tragedy has drawn attention to the bravery of armed civilians who intervene and to lingering gaps in school security, most notably the absence of a dedicated school resource officer at the campus.
The shooter, identified as Griffin J. John II, was a former special‑needs student at the school. He forced entry by firing through locked doors with a pump‑action shotgun, then opened fire in a special‑needs classroom, killing three children—ages five, eight and eleven—and 25‑year‑old teacher Megan Lambert. A seven‑year‑old girl in a wheelchair and a 54‑year‑old teacher were wounded.
An unarmed teacher in the classroom threw her cellphone at the attacker, tackled him and struggled to wrestle the firearm away. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said her actions “almost certainly helped prevent more bloodshed.”
Giamanco heard the gunshots while on his lunch break, drove to the school, retrieved his legally carried pistol and entered the classroom where the struggle was underway. He fired multiple rounds, killing the shooter. Moments later he called his mother, telling her, “I just shot and killed somebody,” and expressing remorse that he could not save everyone.
President Donald Trump and other national figures praised Giamanco as a hero. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek thanked him for his intervention, noting the emotional toll such actions can take and emphasizing the need to address the school’s security shortcomings.
Police continue to investigate the shooter’s motive, reviewing his computer, phone and online activity. The community mourns the loss of five‑year‑old Rhoam Summer and the other victims while supporting the injured survivors.
School officials and local officials say they will review security protocols, including the potential assignment of a dedicated resource officer, as the town works to heal and prevent future tragedies.
