Silver Rail Elementary: Father describes sleepless nights after stopping shooter

Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old carpenter, now spends his nights replaying the moments he spent in a Silver Rail Elementary classroom. In an interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting that aired on Friday, he described the physical and mental toll of the attack that took place earlier this month.

Giamanco said he lies awake after his family goes to bed. He recounted hearing voices and seeing faces from the incident. He noted that while he receives gratitude for saving some students, he also carries the weight of those he could not save.

"I want to apologise for not saving their babies," Giamanco said. "The gratitude for saving people's children is awesome, but there were ones that I didn't save."

The attack resulted in the deaths of three students and one teacher. The victims were Rhoam Summer, age five, and two other boys, ages eight and 11, who have not been publicly named. Megan Lambert, a 25-year-old teacher, was also killed. Two other individuals, including teacher Becky Drury, were wounded.

Police identified the attacker as Griffin J John II, a 16-year-old former pupil who had attended special education classes at the school. His motive remains under investigation. The shooting occurred in a classroom at the Bend, Oregon, school.

Giamanco explained that he was returning home for lunch when he witnessed the attacker fire at a pickup truck. He retrieved a handgun from his vehicle and called emergency services before entering the building. He crawled through a shattered window to reach the classroom.

Inside, Giamanco found a teacher in a struggle with the gunman. He opened the door and fired. He shot again when the attacker reached for his weapon. Giamanco then placed his gun on the ground and raised his hands when an officer arrived.

Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz stated that the teacher who initially confronted the attacker almost certainly helped prevent more bloodshed. The officer noted that the teacher threw her phone at the gunman, tackled him, and fought to take his shotgun.

Giamanco credited that teacher for giving him the chance to intervene safely. "I would love to give her a hug because that's a real true hero," he said. He also expressed a desire to meet the families of the victims to offer support.

Giamanco's identity became public less than a day after the shooting. His mother, Kenda Freeman, read a family statement asking for privacy and noting that he was not seeking recognition. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek praised his actions while acknowledging the emotional burden he carries.

"Your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you as well," Kotek said. Giamanco said he believes he was supposed to be at the school that day, describing himself as the last line of defense between the children and the gunman.

The family of the five-year-old victim, Rhoam Summer, said they are broken and lost. The family of Megan Lambert described the teacher as someone who always fought for the underdog and those with special needs. Becky Drury, the wounded teacher, said in a statement that the gunman shot her as she tried to shut her classroom door.