Oregon School Shooting: Father Describes Pain of Saving Some Children but Not Others

The recent wave of school violence in the United States has drawn global attention to the unpredictable nature of such attacks. In the state of Oregon, a local father has provided a harrowing account of the moments when he intervened to stop a student gunman, revealing the complex grief that follows saving some lives while others are lost. This incident has reignited discussions about safety protocols and the immediate response capabilities of community members.

The attack occurred earlier this month at Silver Rail Elementary School. A sixteen year old former student, identified as Griffin J John II, entered the building and opened fire. The shooting resulted in the deaths of three students and one teacher. In total, six people were shot inside a classroom. Two others, a child and a teacher, survived with injuries. The quick response by a parent prevented the death toll from potentially rising even higher.

Kaylub Giamanco, a thirty six year old carpenter and the father of two students at the school, was the person who fatally shot the attacker. In an interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting that aired on Friday, he expressed deep sorrow over the outcome. He stated that he wants to apologize to the parents of the deceased children for not being able to save them. While he feels gratitude for the lives he preserved, the memory of those he did not save weighs heavily on him. He expressed a desire to meet with the victims families to share in their grief and comfort them.

Giamanco credited a female teacher for giving him the opportunity to act without dying himself. He described her as a true hero who engaged the gunman directly. Police reports indicate that this teacher threw her phone at the attacker, tackled him, and struggled to take his shotgun. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz noted that her actions almost certainly prevented more bloodshed. Giamanco said he wanted to give her a hug for her bravery.

The victims included three boys aged five, eight, and eleven. The youngest was identified as Rhoam Summer, whose father described the family as broken and lost. The teacher who was killed was Megan Lambert, twenty five years old. Her family noted that she was working in her dream job and always advocated for students with special needs. The other two boys have not been named publicly at their families request. The injured teacher is Becky Drury, fifty four, who stated that she was shot while attempting to close her classroom door.

Giamanco explained that the day began with typical morning routines, including making packed lunches for his daughters. It was school picture day, so he and his wife spent extra time getting the children ready. He had taken lunch to work but decided to return home to eat with his wife. That decision caused him to pass the school just as the attack began. He initially thought a man with a long gun was playing a prank, but he saw the man fire at a pickup truck before heading toward the school.

He retrieved a handgun from his vehicle and called emergency services, telling them he had to go in because people were going to die. He followed the attacker, who shot through the school locked glass doors. Hearing children plead for their lives, Giamanco crawled toward the building. He told himself it was probably the last thing he would ever do. He entered through a shattered window to find the teacher in a struggle with the gunman. He opened the door and fired, shooting again when the attacker reached for his weapon. He then placed his gun on the ground and raised his hands as police arrived.

Giamanco described feeling like the last line of defense between the children and the shooter. He called his wife to tell her he would not be home for lunch and that she needed to come to the school immediately. He then called his mother. His name became public less than a day after the shooting. His mother, Kenda Freeman, released a statement saying he was not seeking recognition. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek praised his actions while acknowledging the emotional burden he now carries. Giamanco said he now lies awake at night, replaying the sounds and images of the attack in his mind.