The attack at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, began at 12:58 p.m. Thursday, when a 16-year-old threw a pump-action shotgun over the school's fence and climbed after it, Police Chief Mike Krantz said Friday. The driver of a pickup truck shouted at him, and the teen fired at the truck at least three times. The driver was not hurt and made the first 911 call at 12:59 p.m.
Kaylub Giamanco, 36, saw the truck being shot at, drove into the parking lot and took a pistol legally secured in his vehicle. The shooter, Griffin J. John II, blasted through locked glass doors and fired as many as 15 rounds in the special needs classroom just inside.
All officers were alerted at 1 p.m., and the school locked down a minute later. A teacher threw her phone at the gunman, tackled him and fought for his gun. Giamanco heard the shots, saw the struggle and shot the teen several times. Officers arrived at 1:02 p.m. and found him dead with 44 rounds still on him and in his backpack.
Police named 5-year-old Rhoam Summer and teacher Megan Lambert, 25, among the dead. "This was her dream job," Lambert's family said. The boys killed, ages 8 and 11, were not named at their families' request. A wounded 7-year-old girl is in serious but stable condition, and educational assistant Becky Drury, 54, has serious but not life-threatening injuries.
John was a former special needs student at the school. Police searched his home, have not found a motive and are investigating how he got the gun. Officials told the Associated Press and NBC News his mother bought the shotgun around his birthday in August.
Gov. Tina Kotek praised the "community member" who "heroically intervened," and President Trump called Giamanco "a great hero," as ProfiloPolitics reported. Residents held a candlelight vigil in Drake Park on Thursday night and left flowers outside the school.
Photo: Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek speaks at a news conference in Portland, Sept. 27, 2025. BikePortland (CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
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