A teacher and a parent have been credited with ending a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, after a 16-year-old former student opened fire in a special needs classroom on the afternoon of October 15, 2026.

The gunman, identified by police as Griffin J. John II, climbed a fence onto school grounds, fired at a red pickup truck after a verbal confrontation with its driver, and then forced his way into the building by shooting through locked glᴀss doors. Once inside, he entered a special needs classroom and fired approximately 15 rounds from a 12-gauge pump-action sH๏τgun. He still had around 44 additional rounds of ammunition with him when the attack was stopped.

Four people were killed in the classroom: three students aged 5, 8, and 11, and 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert. The youngest victim has been identified by family as Rhoam Summer. Two others were wounded — a 7-year-old student who remains in serious but stable condition and 54-year-old teacher Becky Drury, who sustained injuries to her arm and hand and is expected to recover.

Inside the classroom, one teacher threw her cellphone at the gunman, then tackled him and struggled to take control of the sH๏τgun. She was not injured. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz described her actions as heroic and said they almost certainly prevented additional bloodshed.

At the same time, 36-year-old Kaylub Giamanco, a local carpenter and father of two daughters who attend the school, was nearby on his lunch break. He saw the teenager firing outside and moving toward the building. Giamanco retrieved a legally secured .40-caliber pistol from his vehicle, followed the gunman inside, and found the teacher already in a physical struggle with him. Giamanco fired multiple times, fatally striking the shooter. Police said his intervention likely saved lives.

The driver of the red pickup who first confronted the gunman drove away unharmed and made the initial 911 call. Officers arrived within minutes, by which time the threat had already been stopped. The school resource officer was not on campus at the time, as the position covers multiple buildings.

John had previously attended Silver Rail as a special needs student but was not enrolled in the Bend-La Pine Schools district at the time of the shooting. Investigators are examining possible motives, including any mental health factors or warning signs. His parents have been cooperative, and a search warrant was executed at the family home. Police have said everyone wants to understand why the attack occurred.

Giamanco’s family has confirmed his idenтιтy and role. His mother stated that he is not seeking recognition and has expressed graтιтude to first responders, school staff, and the community for their support. Friends and relatives have described him as someone who has long stepped forward in moments of need, though he has struggled with the thought that he could not arrive sooner.

The community of Bend has gathered in mourning, holding vigils and offering support to the victims’ families and the injured. The school remained closed in the days following the attack while investigators continued processing the scene. Officials have praised both the unnamed teacher and Giamanco for their decisive actions under extreme circumstances.

Sources : New York Post and Fox News.