BEND, Ore. — Authorities and community members in central Oregon are grappling with the aftermath of a deadly shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School that left four people dead, as new details emerged about the armed parent who intervened to stop the gunman.
The attack unfolded Thursday, Oct. 15, when a 16-year-old armed with a shotgun forced his way onto the campus in Bend. Four victims were killed inside a classroom: 5-year-old Rhoam Summer, two students ages 8 and 11 whose families have not released their names, and 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert. Two others were wounded: 7-year-old Saylor Graham and 54-year-old teacher Becky Drury, who sustained serious injuries.
How the attack was stopped
Police said the gunman, identified as Griffin J. John II, initially opened fire outside the building at a passing pickup truck before blasting through locked glass doors to enter the school. Nine people — five children and four adults — were inside the classroom at the time, according to CBS News.
Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old carpenter and father of two daughters who attend the school, was driving past during his lunch break when he spotted the gunman and heard gunfire. Giamanco retrieved a legally registered .40-caliber handgun from his car and rushed inside in pursuit of the shooter, Bend police reported.
Before Giamanco entered the room, a teacher hurled a phone at the attacker, tackled him and attempted to pull the 12-gauge shotgun from his grip, The Guardian reported. Giamanco then fired multiple close-range rounds, killing the shooter before the teen could discharge his remaining 44 rounds of ammunition, according to police accounts reported by the New York Post.
Following the encounter, Giamanco phoned his mother to describe what happened. His mother, identified as Kenda Freeman by KOVR and Karen Freeman by the New York Post, recounted that her son told her, “Mom, I just shot and killed somebody.” His brother, Kyle Giamanco, told the New York Post that Kaylub was uncomfortable with being labeled a hero.
Background on the firearms and training
In a September 2018 Facebook post, Giamanco noted that he had participated in shooting drills alongside veterans who served in combat in Iraq, The Guardian reported. Neither law enforcement nor Giamanco’s family have drawn a connection between those past exercises and his actions at the school.
Investigators also revealed details regarding the weapon used in the assault. Law enforcement sources told CBS News that the Maverick 88 pump-action shotgun had been bought legally in August 2026 by the attacker’s mother, Shauntai Nickerson, as a birthday gift for recreational use. Nickerson had previously stated in a 2020 television interview that her son had special needs and struggled during remote schooling.
Community remembers young victims
As the city mourned, the parents of 5-year-old Rhoam Summer shared tributes to their young son, describing his love for dancing, art and animals. In a public statement released Monday, his parents, Kelik and Lillian Summer, invited people to honor his memory by creating artwork.
“If you want to memorialize our little Rhoam, we request you draw,” his parents said. “Rhoam loved to tell stories of creatures with big teeth who needed understanding and friendship. Please make art for him.”
Bend-area organization Hearts Unknown Education planned a community art session dedicated to Rhoam, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.
School officials announced that Silver Rail Elementary will be closed permanently following the massacre. Bend police said investigators expected to finish processing evidence at the campus by late Monday before returning the property to the school district. A motive for the killings remains unknown as detectives continue to examine the shooter’s electronic devices and online history.
