Oregon Father Recounts Harrowing Intervention That Halted School Shooting
A Bend carpenter shares his emotional story of stopping a school shooter at Silver Rail Elementary, saving lives while grappling with the tragedy.
POLICY WIRE — Bend, Oregon — A series of mundane daily decisions placed a local carpenter in the path of a mass shooter, leading to an intervention that he feared would be his final act. Authorities have credited 36-year-old Kaylub Giamanco with preventing further casualties during the Oct. 15 attack at Silver Rail Elementary School.
The assailant, 16-year-old Griffin J. John II, had already claimed the lives of a teacher and three children before Giamanco arrived on the scene. The carpenter, who has two daughters enrolled at the school, had originally planned to eat a packed lunch but changed his mind to head home for tacos, a detour that brought him to Brentwood Avenue just before 1 p.m.
Upon witnessing the gunman firing at a motorist and a woman mowing the lawn, Giamanco retrieved his .40 caliber handgun from his truck. He contacted 911 but cut the call short, telling the dispatcher he had to intervene because people were going to die.
Giamanco described crawling through a shattered window and navigating toward a special education classroom while hearing gunfire and the pleas of children. He encountered the shooter struggling with a teacher for control of a weapon and fired, noting that the attacker was unaware of his presence.
After the teacher fled, Giamanco fired two additional shots at the gunman to ensure he could no longer pose a threat. Following the arrival of law enforcement, the father called his wife to explain he would not be making it home for their planned lunch.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz has publicly lauded the bravery of both Giamanco and the teacher who confronted the shooter. Despite the praise, Giamanco continues to struggle with the trauma of the event, stating that he is haunted by the voices and faces from that day.
Giamanco expressed a desire to apologize to the families of the victims for not being able to save everyone. He remains focused on the weight of the lives lost, even as he is recognized for his role in stopping the carnage.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
