Oregon teacher fought school attacker before armed dad shot suspect ‘multiple times’
Teacher and passing father credited with stopping further harm in Bend school shooting
Ninoda.com – A teacher’s attempt to disarm a teenage gunman and the intervention of an armed father passing by Silver Rail Elementary School helped bring an Oregon school attack to an end on Thursday, authorities said.
Four people were killed in the shooting in Bend: three children and a teacher. Two others were injured. The suspected gunman, 16-year-old Griffin J. John II, was shot dead inside the school after a father entered the building and fired his legally carried handgun.
Police said John, a former student at the elementary school who had attended its special educational needs programme, arrived on foot. Investigators are still working to establish his movements before the attack, how he obtained the shotgun and what motivated him.
Attack unfolded inside special educational needs classroom
The violence began in the school car park, where the suspect fired at a vehicle. He then shot through a window and entered the building, making his way to a classroom for pupils with special educational needs.
Inside, he fired up to 15 shotgun rounds. Police said he still had roughly 44 rounds of ammunition when the attack was stopped, highlighting how much more damage might have been possible without the people who intervened.
In the classroom, a teacher threw her mobile phone before confronting the gunman. She tackled him and struggled with him on the floor in an effort to take away the shotgun. The teacher was not physically injured, but police chief Mike Krantz said her actions almost certainly limited further bloodshed.
“To the people who showed courage in the face of such violence, and intervened to prevent this tragedy from being any worse, we owe you a debt of gratitude,” Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said.
As the struggle continued, a bystander ran into the school. He had been driving past after finishing lunch and was heading home when he saw shots being fired outside the campus. Police said he used a legally concealed .40-calibre pistol that had been in his vehicle, firing multiple times at the suspect.
The suspect died at the scene.
Victims identified as community mourns
Authorities named two of the people killed as five-year-old Rhoam Summer and 25-year-old teacher Meghan Lambert. The families of the other two children who died—an eight-year-old and an 11-year-old—asked that their names not yet be released publicly.
A 54-year-old teacher remained in hospital following the attack. A seven-year-old pupil was also receiving treatment and was described as being in serious but stable condition.
The deaths have left a school community confronting the loss of children and an educator in a place expected to provide safety, learning and care. Vigils and public expressions of grief followed as Bend residents gathered around the affected families, school staff and emergency responders.
Investigators executed a search warrant at the suspect’s home and continued searching the property. The inquiry remains focused on the weapon, ammunition, the suspect’s route to the school and the unanswered question of motive.
Family identifies father who entered school
Officials did not publicly identify the man who shot the suspect. His family later identified him as 36-year-old carpenter Kaylub Giamanco, a lifelong Bend resident and father of two girls who attend the school.
His brother said Giamanco saw the gunman fire on a vehicle and then enter the school through a window. He retrieved his pistol and went after the attacker.
In a family statement, Giamanco was described as not seeking public recognition. The family expressed appreciation for the support offered to those affected while asking that his privacy be respected.
“He is not seeking recognition.”
The incident has also drawn attention to the immense personal toll borne by people who act during sudden violence. Governor Kotek recognised the intervention that prevented additional loss of life while noting that such actions can leave a heavy emotional burden.
President Donald Trump praised the bystander on Friday, saying the attack could have been far worse without his response.
“It’s a terrible thing, but thank goodness for a man that had a gun and knew how to use it,” Trump said.
For investigators, the immediate work now includes reconstructing the attack minute by minute and supporting the families, students and staff most directly affected. For the Bend community, the names of Rhoam Summer and Meghan Lambert stand at the centre of a tragedy that also left two young victims unnamed at their families’ request.
Police have emphasised that the teacher’s resistance and the father’s decision to enter the building were pivotal moments. Their actions did not erase the devastating losses, but authorities believe they prevented the shooting from claiming still more victims.
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