Teacher Tackled Oregon School Gunman Before Armed Father Shot Him Dead

A teacher threw her cellphone at a teenage gunman and tackled him during Thursday’s deadly shooting at an Oregon elementary school, fighting to wrestle away his shotgun before an armed father shot him dead, police revealed Friday. 

The 16-year-old gunman killed four people, including three children, at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, where he had previously been a special needs student. All of the victims were in a special-needs classroom, school officials said.

The teacher was not injured in the confrontation. Her heroic actions “almost certainly helped prevent more bloodshed,” Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said during a news conference detailing the attack.

The father, identified as Kaylub Giamanco, 36, has two children at the school. He witnessed the initial shooting outside and followed the gunman into the school, police said.

The gunman used a Maverick 88 pump-action 12-gauge shotgun reportedly purchased by his mother. He fired as many as 15 rounds inside the classroom and had about 44 rounds remaining, authorities said. Investigators believe he traveled to the campus on foot.

The victims killed were three children, ages five, eight, and 11, and 25-year-old teacher Meghan Lambert. The gunman also died at the scene. A seven-year-old student and a 54-year-old teacher were also wounded.

The five-year-old boy was identified by his family as Rhoam Summer. Police have not released the identities of the other child victims.

Authorities said shots rang out shortly before 1 p.m. Thursday, when the suspect approached the school from an undeveloped area. The teen shooter threw his shotgun over the school fence, climbed onto the property, and opened fire on a red Toyota pickup truck after its driver verbally confronted him. The driver continued down the street and called 911.

“The suspect walked westbound along the south side of the school and forced entry through an external set of double doors,” Krantz said. “He fired multiple rounds into the glass panes in the doors to gain access to the school.”

Then, he went directly into the classroom immediately to the left of the entry doors and opened fire, police said. 

Giamanco was not far behind. Police said he drove into the school parking lot, retrieved a .40-caliber pistol legally secured in his vehicle, and entered the building.

“As he made entry through the forced-open doors, he heard shooting and saw a teacher involved in a physical altercation with the suspect. He then went to the classroom where the struggle was underway and fired his weapon, striking the suspect multiple times,” Krantz said. 

The first report of a shooter came in at 12:59 p.m., followed by multiple 911 calls from inside the school. Officers arrived at 1:02 p.m. and learned the suspect had already been shot and killed by Giamanco, police said. 

The shooting has devastated the Bend community, with thousands gathering at a vigil Thursday night to mourn the victims and support their families. 

Oregon’s Democrat Gov. Tina Kotek said her heart is “broken” and praised the Good Samaritan who jumped into action.

“And to the community member who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life, your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you as well,” she said.

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