Oregon Authorities Credit Civilians for Stopping School Shooter
A driver, a father, and a teacher were among those who intervened during a shooting at an elementary school, authorities said.
A 16-year-old gunman opened fire at an Oregon elementary school this week, killing three children and wounding another before he was fatally shot by a civilian, according to police.
Authorities credited at least three civilians with intervening in the attack at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend. Police Chief Mike Krantz lauded the bravery of those who attempted to stop the shooter, identified as Griffin John II. Krantz stated that their actions undoubtedly saved lives.
The incident began when the 16-year-old approached the school, tossed a shotgun over a fence, and climbed over it himself. He then approached the school building and shattered the glass panes of a locked door with the shotgun before entering.
A driver, who authorities said was the first to attempt to intervene, yelled at the shooter. The gunman fired at the truck, but the driver was unharmed and called 911. Nearby, Kaylub Giamanco, a carpenter and father of students at the school, saw the shooting and drove into the parking lot. Giamanco, who legally possessed a firearm in his vehicle, heard the gunshots and moved toward the sound.
Inside the school, the shooter entered a classroom and began firing. A teacher in the classroom threw a phone at the shooter and then tackled him. Giamanco then encountered a woman, identified as the teacher, wrestling with the boy for control of the shotgun. Giamanco then shot the boy multiple times, killing him.
During the brief but violent event, which spanned only a few minutes, three children aged 5, 8, and 11 were killed. Another child was critically wounded. A teacher, 25-year-old Megan Lambert, was killed in the classroom, while another teacher sustained injuries to her arm and hand.
Law enforcement arrived on the scene shortly before Giamanco shot the gunman. Investigators later found approximately 15 spent shell casings and 44 unused rounds of ammunition. Police expressed their profound appreciation for the civilians who acted courageously in the face of the threat.