BEND, Ore. — October 16, 2026 | WE PNW
A shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday, October 15, left four people dead and two others seriously injured.
The victims included three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, and a teacher. Another child and a school employee were wounded.
Authorities identified the attacker as a 16-year-old Bend resident who had previously attended the elementary school.
According to investigators, the teenager fired through locked school doors to gain entry before opening fire inside the building.
The attack ended when an armed man who happened to be nearby followed the teenager into the school and fatally shot him.
On Friday, authorities and family members identified the man as Kaylub Giamanco, 36, a father of two girls who attend Silver Rail Elementary School.
The circumstances were reported by Associated Press, CBS News and Oregon Public Broadcasting.
How the Shooting Unfolded
Emergency calls began reaching Deschutes County dispatchers at approximately 12:59 p.m. on Thursday.
A person inside a vehicle near Silver Rail Elementary School reported that someone armed with a long gun had fired toward the vehicle.
Within the next minute, dispatchers received additional reports that an armed individual had entered the school building.
According to Bend Police, the attacker used a long gun, later identified as a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun.
The school's exterior doors were locked, but the teenager reportedly fired through them to gain entry.
Based on the timeline reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting:
- 12:59 p.m. — The first emergency call reporting gunfire near the school was received.
- 1:00 p.m. — Dispatchers alerted law enforcement.
- 1:01 p.m. — The school entered lockdown.
- Approximately 1:02 p.m. — The first police officers arrived.
Officers subsequently found the attacker fatally wounded inside the school.
Investigators are continuing to reconstruct the precise sequence of events, including what occurred in classrooms and hallways before the shooting ended.
How a Father of Two Students Stopped the Attacker
Kaylub Giamanco, 36, is a carpenter and Bend resident whose two daughters attend Silver Rail Elementary School.
According to local television station KTVZ, which cited Giamanco's brother, he was driving home during his lunch break when he heard gunshots and noticed an armed teenager heading toward the school.
Giamanco decided to intervene.
KTVZ reported that he held a concealed handgun license.
He followed the teenager into the school building, where an armed confrontation occurred.
Giamanco fired at the attacker, fatally wounding him and bringing the shooting to an end.
Police confirmed that an armed civilian intervened and stopped the attacker.
Giamanco's mother, Kenda Freeman, publicly confirmed her son's identity.
In a family statement reported by CBS News, relatives said Giamanco was not seeking public recognition and expressed gratitude to emergency responders, school employees and community members for their support.
The family also requested privacy.
According to his brother, Giamanco has struggled emotionally with what happened and feels guilty that he could not prevent every death.
The exact number of shots Giamanco fired and the specific model of firearm he used have not been conclusively established in the reviewed reports.
A Teacher Also Tried to Stop the Gunman
Another important detail emerged during a police briefing on Friday.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz described how a teacher attempted to intervene while the teenager was armed.
According to Associated Press, the teacher threw a cellphone at the attacker before attempting to tackle him.
A physical struggle followed.
Krantz said her actions likely helped save the lives of other people inside the school.
The exact sequence of the struggle, the gunfire and Giamanco's intervention remains under investigation.
The Victims: Three Children and a Teacher Killed
Authorities confirmed that four people were killed:
- Three students, ages 5, 8 and 11.
- One teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School.
Among those killed was Rhoam Summer, 5, a kindergarten student.
His family publicly remembered him as a child who loved stuffed animals, sharks, dinosaurs and creatures he believed were misunderstood by others.
The family of teacher Meghan Lambert also confirmed her death.
Lambert grew up in Bend, graduated from Boise State University and particularly enjoyed working with children who needed additional support.
Two other people were seriously wounded.
A 7-year-old student was hospitalized with significant injuries.
A 54-year-old teacher, identified by relatives as Becky Drury, also sustained injuries. According to Associated Press, she underwent surgery for wounds to her arm.
Both injured victims were taken to St. Charles Medical Center in Bend.
Initial reports described their conditions as critical. Complete, independently confirmed updates on both patients' subsequent conditions were not available at the time of this report.
Source: Associated Press — Victims and injuries.
What Investigators Know About the 16-Year-Old Attacker
Police identified the attacker as a 16-year-old Bend resident who had previously attended Silver Rail Elementary School.
Published law enforcement reports identified him as Griffin John II.
Investigators have not established a confirmed motive for the attack.
Authorities are examining why the teenager returned to his former elementary school, whether he planned the shooting in advance and how he obtained access to the firearm.
According to Associated Press, the attacker used a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun.
A law enforcement source cited by the news agency said the firearm had been purchased by the teenager's mother.
Police Chief Mike Krantz reported that the attacker fired up to 15 shots.
Investigators also said approximately 44 rounds of ammunition remained in his possession when the attack ended.
These findings indicate that the teenager still had ammunition available, but they do not establish what he intended to do next.
Questions surrounding firearm storage, the teenager's access to the weapon and possible preparations for the attack remain under investigation.
How Did the Teenager Get Inside the School?
Silver Rail Elementary School is located at 61530 SE Stone Creek Lane in Bend.
The school serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade and had approximately 450 enrolled students during the previous academic year.
According to police reports, the building's exterior doors were locked when the attacker arrived.
The teenager reportedly fired through the doors to enter the building.
That detail has raised questions about the effectiveness of existing school security measures.
The Bend-La Pine school district previously pursued a broader school infrastructure improvement program that included security upgrades.
However, publicly available information does not establish which specific improvements had been completed at Silver Rail Elementary School before the shooting.
It would therefore be premature to conclude that school administrators violated safety requirements or failed to implement required protective measures.
Source: The Washington Post — Investigation and school safety.
Bend Community Mourns as Oregon Officials Respond
Hundreds of residents gathered at Drake Park in Bend on Thursday evening for a candlelight vigil.
Community members brought flowers, remembered the victims and expressed support for the families affected by the shooting.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek offered condolences to the victims' families and the school community.
She also acknowledged the actions of the person who intervened during the attack.
President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, praised the armed civilian who stopped the attacker.
The tragedy has renewed public discussion about access to firearms, self-defense and safety in educational institutions.
However, investigators have not yet completed their findings, and conclusions about potential preventive measures remain premature.
Source: Reuters — Investigation and official reactions.
Classes Canceled, Support Services Offered to Families
Bend-La Pine Schools canceled classes across the district on Friday, October 16.
Scheduled school activities and athletic events were also canceled.
Following the attack, students were transported to the nearby Journey Church, where a reunification center was established for children and their parents.
The district created a dedicated information hub providing updates and resources for students, families, teachers and community members.
Mental health and counseling resources are being made available to those affected by the shooting.
Additional information is available through the district's Silver Rail Community Information Hub.
What Questions Remain Unanswered?
Despite the new information released on October 16, several critical questions remain unanswered.
The most significant is the motive.
Investigators have not determined why the teenager targeted Silver Rail Elementary School, which he had previously attended.
Authorities are also examining how he obtained the shotgun, whether there were warning signs before the attack and the precise sequence of events inside the building.
The school's security arrangements and the effectiveness of existing protections are also expected to receive additional scrutiny.
For Bend, the consequences extend far beyond one elementary school.
Four people lost their lives within minutes, two others suffered serious injuries, and hundreds of children, families and school employees experienced a traumatic event whose effects may continue for years.
The actions of Kaylub Giamanco and the teacher who attempted to stop the gunman became important parts of the emerging account.
But they do not eliminate the need for investigators and school officials to establish exactly how the attack happened and what measures might help prevent similar tragedies.
The investigation remains ongoing. WE PNW will continue following official developments, updates on the injured victims and decisions affecting school safety in Oregon.
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