A 36-year-old father whose two daughters attend Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, fatally shot a 16-year-old gunman to stop a deadly rampage on Thursday afternoon. Family members and law enforcement confirmed the identity of Kaylub Giamanco on Friday, as investigators worked to piece together the sequence of events that left four victims and the suspect dead.
According to his family and local authorities, Giamanco was driving near the school around 1:00 p.m. when he heard gunfire. Realizing an active threat was unfolding, the local carpenter and father with a valid concealed carry permit rushed toward the building and pursued the attacker inside.
Timeline of the Silver Rail Elementary School Shooting
The violence at Silver Rail Elementary began at approximately 12:59 p.m. on Thursday when an initial 911 call reported a man firing shots outside the facility. Within moments, dispatchers received dozens of additional calls as the gunman used a pump-action shotgun to blast through locked exterior doors, entering the facility and opening fire.
Police Chief Mike Krantz stated that officers arrived at the scene within three minutes of the first emergency call at 1:02 p.m. However, Giamanco had already intercepted the shooter inside the building. Emergency radio dispatch audio captured the moment officers realized the threat had been neutralized by a bystander, reporting that the suspect was down inside the hallway.
Tragically, the attack claimed the lives of four individuals before law enforcement and medical teams could fully secure the area. The deceased victims included three children-identified by family and officials as ages 5, 8, and 11, including 5-year-old Rhoam Summer-and one teacher. Two other victims, a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher, sustained critical injuries and were transported to a local hospital.
Identity of the Suspect and Community Response
Law enforcement officials identified the suspected shooter as 16-year-old John J. Griffin II, a Bend resident. Investigators executed a search warrant at the teenager’s home, where his cooperative mother confirmed that the pump-action shotgun used in the attack belonged to her. Under Oregon state law, a minor may legally possess a shotgun if provided by a parent or someone with parental consent.
Following the tragedy, local leaders and government officials praised Giamanco for his courageous and decisive actions under extreme pressure.
To the community member who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life, your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you as well, said Oregon Governor Tina Kotek during a Thursday evening press conference.
Giamanco’s family released a statement expressing gratitude for the rapid response of first responders and school personnel, while requesting privacy for his two daughters and the rest of the household as they process the emotional aftermath.
Mourning and Support in Bend
Bend, a fast-growing mountain city of approximately 100,000 residents in central Oregon, reeled from the tragedy. All classes and extracurricular activities across the district’s 32 schools were canceled on Friday.
Families and community members gathered at Drake Park on Thursday evening for a candlelight vigil, leaving flowers, balloons, and chalk drawings outside the police tape surrounding Silver Rail Elementary. Reunification centers were quickly established at nearby churches, allowing frightened parents to safely reconnect with surviving students.
Local authorities noted that the comprehensive active-threat training completed by all Bend police officers in August aided their rapid deployment, though officials emphasized that the community faces a prolonged healing process.
