A father of two reportedly chased down and killed a teenage gunman who opened fire at an Oregon elementary school, ending a massacre that claimed the lives of three children and a teacher.
Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old carpenter whose daughters attend Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, was heading home for lunch Thursday when gunfire erupted near the campus.
Rather than flee, the armed father rushed toward the danger, eventually confronting 16-year-old John J. Griffin II inside a special-education classroom.
Giamanco’s brother, Kyle, confirmed to NBC News that his sibling fatally shot the teenager after pursuing him into the building.
The confrontation ended a terrifying sequence of events that unfolded in approximately three minutes, leaving four victims dead and two others critically wounded.
President Donald Trump praised Giamanco as “a great hero” who “took care of business.”
But the father has reportedly struggled to accept that description. According to his brother, Giamanco has avoided speaking publicly because he feels guilty about the lives he couldn’t save, despite stopping the attacker.
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His mother, Kenda Freeman, expressed a very different assessment when the New York Post approached her at a family residence Friday.
“He is absolutely a hero. … It’s not an easy time, and he’s going through a lot. … I’m super proud of him, and I couldn’t ask for more,” Freeman, 50, declared.
The deadly confrontation began outside the school, where Griffin allegedly attempted to reach students and staff through the main entrance.
According to accounts provided to the New York Post, the teenager arrived carrying a Maverick 88, a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, which he tossed over the perimeter fence before climbing across himself.
Two people, including Giamanco, reportedly prevented him from gaining access through the front doors.
Giamanco, who possessed a concealed firearm, allegedly fired at Griffin during that initial confrontation, forcing the teenager to abandon his intended entrance.
The suspect instead made his way around the building, where he reportedly blasted the lock off a rear door with his shotgun.
Inside, Griffin headed toward a special-education classroom he had previously attended. There, the teenager opened fire on children and school employees.
Students ages five, eight and 11 were killed, along with a teacher. A seven-year-old student who uses a wheelchair was wounded, as was another teacher, 54.
Both injured victims were transported to a hospital in critical condition.
Giamanco followed the shooter into the classroom and fired the fatal shots, according to his brother’s account.
The newly disclosed details identify the civilian previously described only as an armed bystander and provide a clearer picture of the intervention.
CNN placed the beginning of the shooting at approximately 12:59 p.m., with Bend police reaching Silver Rail at 1:02 p.m.
Emergency operators had been receiving calls from people reporting an armed attacker inside the school as officers converged on the property.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz initially confirmed only that a long gun had been used, withholding additional specifics while investigators examined the shooting.
The aftermath brought frightened families to Journey Church, where authorities organized reunifications as police cleared classrooms and escorted survivors from the campus.
Police spokeswoman Sheila Miller struggled with emotion while addressing the community.
“This is the kind of thing we never want to see happen in Bend,” Miller told reporters.
“And our hearts go out to this community, and we ask our community to really work together and come together at this time,” she continued.
Only two months earlier, Bend officers had practiced responding to an armed threat at a local high school.
“Unfortunately, this is something we train for on a regular basis, and we must,” Krantz explained.
Investigators were expected to remain at the elementary school for several days while reconstructing the attack.
“We will have a large police presence at Silver Rail Elementary School for the next several days as our officers continue to conduct a very thorough investigation so we get all the answers,” Krantz stated.
The FBI’s Portland office joined the investigation, with Director Kash Patel promising federal assistance.
“We will make every resource they need available,” Patel pledged on X.
Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook also addressed the losses Thursday afternoon.
“No words can adequately express the grief our community is experiencing,” Cook acknowledged. “Our immediate priorities are caring for our students and staff and assisting law enforcement and emergency responders.”
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek thanked emergency crews and indicated that she was following developments.
The father’s reported actions in Oregon came amid attention surrounding a separate case outside Chicago, where another civilian intervened before a threatened mass shooting could take place.
An Arlington Heights Taco Bell employee contacted police after receiving disturbing material from coworker Alexandros Paporakis, 19, who allegedly planned to attack a Hindu temple in Aurora.
Investigators arrested Paporakis at his Palatine residence October 11. He faces charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of weapons, ABC 7 Chicago reported.
The warning involved a rifle video, tactical equipment imagery and an alleged manifesto outlining an intention to murder Hindu worshippers.
Police subsequently recovered a rifle, ammunition, loaded magazines and tactical gear from the suspect’s residence, according to The Hill.
Palatine Police Chief William Nord commended the employee who came forward and recognized the FBI’s assistance.
Former Department of Homeland Security intelligence chief John Cohen argued that potential attackers frequently disclose warning signs before carrying out violence.
“It’s highly likely that were it not for the quick action and the investigative activities of the local law enforcement authorities, we very may well have had yet another mass shooting in this country,” Cohen told ABC 7 Chicago.
