In brief
A 16‑year‑old gunman opened fire inside Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, killing three children and a teacher. A licensed teacher wrestled him on the floor, while a nearby parent, armed with a pistol, entered the classroom and shot the attacker multiple times. Police say the interventions prevented additional casualties. Authorities are investigating how the youth acquired the weapon and the attacker’s motives remain unclear. Community leaders and former President Donald Trump praised the bystander’s heroism.
On the afternoon of Thursday, 16‑year‑old Griffin J John II stormed the first‑floor classrooms of Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, with a shotgun and a pistol. The teenager opened fire, killing three children—two boys and one girl—and a 25‑year‑old teacher, Jeffers, before the building’s walls echoed with gunshots.
In the midst of the chaos, a 25‑year‑old elementary teacher, who has not been named to protect privacy, grabbed a discarded mobile phone and attempted to wrestle the gunman from his rifle. Her frantic struggle was interrupted by a fellow parent driving past the school, Kaylub Giamanco, a 36‑year‑old carpenter. Giamanco had just finished lunch and was on his way home when he saw the teenager shoot through a classroom window. He leapt into the chaos, brandishing a .40‑calibre pistol he carried legally, and fired several rounds until the gunman collapsed.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz praised the “courage in the face of violence” displayed by both the teacher and the parent, noting that their quick actions “saved lives.” Police confirmed that the suspect used 15 shots in the classroom and had at least 44 rounds of shotgun ammunition. They say the shooter entered the school on foot and remains unaccounted for in terms of motive.
The tragedy cut nine victims: three children—two 8‑year‑olds and an 11‑year‑old—and a 25‑year‑old teacher. A 5‑year‑old named Rhoam Summer and another student remained unnamed due to family wishes. Two more students and a 54‑year‑old teacher were injured but survived; the injured child remains in stable but serious condition.
The father’s phone call to his mother moments after the shooting revealed the depth of his shock: “He’s shot kids. I looked at him point blank and shot him.” His mother, Kenda Freeman, later told CBS, “I told him he saved a lot of lives, and he said, ’mum, I couldn’t save them all.’”
The incident has drawn national attention. Former President Donald Trump hailed Giamanco as a “great hero,” while Oregon Governor Tina Kotek acknowledged the heavy emotional burden carried by those involved. The school community has erected a makeshift memorial and held candlelit vigils to honor the victims.
Police are pursuing a search warrant at the suspect’s home and continue to investigate the gun’s origin and John’s motivations. Meanwhile, the town of Bend mourns the loss of a precious child, a teacher, and is rallying around the heroes who acted with remarkable bravery.
