Father who shot Oregon school gunman apologises to parents
Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old father whose daughters attend Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, has spoken publicly for the first time about how he shot the 16-year-old gunman who killed three children and a teacher, and has apologised to the victims' parents.
Kaylub Giamanco, the Bend father credited with stopping the gunman at Silver Rail Elementary School, has said he is sorry to the parents of the children and teacher killed in the attack on October 15. Giamanco spoke in an interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting, his first since the shooting, describing the split-second decisions he made that afternoon.
Police say a 16-year-old former student, identified as Griffin J. John II, entered the school by climbing a fence and firing through the glass of a locked door with a 12-gauge shotgun. He then went into a special education classroom where four adults and five children were present. Three children aged five, eight and 11 and a teacher, 25-year-old Megan Lambert, were killed, and another child and a teacher were wounded. Police said all of the victims were shot inside the same classroom.
Giamanco, a lifelong Bend resident and carpenter, was driving home for lunch when he saw a man in black with a rifle fire toward a pickup truck near the school. He grabbed his legally held handgun, called 911 and headed toward the building. In the interview he recalled hearing children pleading for their lives before the gunfire began, and he said he crawled past the windows to reach the classroom. He told OPB that he called 911 and hung up after grabbing his gun, saying, « I'm sorry, I have to go in. People are going to die. » He described the day as the scariest of his life and said he thinks about the victims' families and wishes he could have saved their loved ones.
Police said Giamanco arrived after a teacher had already tried to stop the attacker, throwing her phone at him and tackling him in an effort to pull the gun away. Giamanco fired several times at the gunman, who was killed inside the classroom. Bend police said his actions « undoubtedly saved people. » Police Chief Mike Krantz thanked first responders, teachers and the parent who ultimately shot the gunman. Giamanco's family said in a statement that he is not seeking recognition and wants to express gratitude to first responders, school staff and the community.
The shooting has had a lasting impact on the Bend community. Silver Rail Elementary remains closed until further notice, and schools in Bend stayed closed the following Monday and Tuesday as the city mourned. Rhoam Summer, 5, was one of the children killed, and his parents described him as a child who wanted to bring the brightest light into the world. Lambert's family said working at Silver Rail was her dream job, and the volleyball club she coached is working to set up a scholarship fund in her name. Police said the shooter previously attended the school as a special needs student, and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians confirmed he was an enrolled member. Police are still investigating the motive.
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