Kaylub Giamanco is the armed bystander who stopped the gunman at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, his family confirmed Friday, a day after an attack that killed three children and a teacher and wounded two more people. Police say Giamanco, 36, followed the 16-year-old attacker into the school his two daughters attend and shot him, ending a rampage that officials, families and Oregon’s governor say could have been far worse.
The investigation is ongoing. Here is what is known so far, from police and reporting by the Associated Press, NBC News and CBS News.
What police say happened
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said the attacker shot at a pickup truck outside the school early Thursday afternoon, then fired through locked doors to get inside and entered a classroom, per the AP. A teacher in that classroom threw her cellphone at him, then tackled him and fought to take the firearm away. She was not injured.
Giamanco, who had been driving home from lunch and heard the gunfire, pulled into the parking lot, took his legally held .40-caliber pistol and followed the attacker inside, per NBC News. Seeing the teacher wrestling with the gunman, he fired, striking the suspect multiple times. Officers arrived minutes later and found the attacker dead.
Krantz credited both the bystander and the teacher with saving lives: “She almost certainly helped prevent more bloodshed,” he said of the teacher, adding that the bystander “bravely stepped in to stop the suspect.”
Who Kaylub Giamanco is
Giamanco is a lifelong Bend resident, a 36-year-old carpenter and the father of two girls who attend Silver Rail Elementary, per CBS News. His brother, Kyle Giamanco, told NBC News he holds a concealed-weapon permit. Dylan Costa, a friend since childhood, told NBC: “Kaylub has always been a hero from the time we were 6 years old. He’s always been the type to spring into action when needed.”
His mother, Kenda Freeman, read a family statement to reporters Friday: “He is not seeking recognition, but instead wishes to express his gratitude to the first responders, school personnel, and community for the outpouring of love and support. The tragedy at Silver Rail Elementary has devastated the Bend community.” The family asked for privacy and said they will not give interviews.
In an interview with CBS News Sacramento, Freeman said her son told her he crawled through a window the gunman had shot out, and that he carries a heavy weight: “He said, ‘Mom, I couldn’t save them all.’”
The victims
Three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, and teacher Megan Lambert, 25, were killed, police said. A 7-year-old child and teacher Becky Drury, 54, were hospitalized; Drury’s family said she was recovering from surgery. The youngest victim, Rhoam Summer, was remembered by his aunt Swan Sheridan as a fearless climber who loved stuffed animals: “He never met a stuffie that he didn’t think needed to be rescued and cared for,” she told the AP.
The response
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek praised the bystander who “heroically intervened to stop further loss of life,” noting the “heavy emotional burden” his actions carry. President Trump called Giamanco a “great hero” at the White House on Friday. Brooke Olsen, whose daughter is a kindergartner at Silver Rail, told the AP through tears: “I think it’s miraculous that someone was there before law enforcement even arrived to stop further tragedy from happening.”
How the attack unfolded
Early Thursday afternoon: a driver outside the school sees the attacker and calls 911 after the man fires at his truck, per police.
Minutes later: the attacker shoots through locked doors and enters a classroom; a teacher tackles him; Giamanco follows inside and fires.
Thursday evening: police confirm four dead, three children and a teacher, and two wounded.
Friday: classes canceled across Bend; police publicly identify the bystander as Giamanco through his family’s statement; memorials of flowers, balloons and stuffed animals grow around the school.
What this means for the Bend community
The investigation is ongoing. Police say they are still working to determine how the 16-year-old obtained the shotgun and have cautioned they may never get a full answer on motive. We are not naming the attacker or speculating on a motive.
The family’s wishes are clear: Giamanco is not seeking recognition and has asked for privacy, and there are no verified fundraisers we can confirm at this time.
For readers following from outside Oregon: the AP counts this as the 28th mass killing in the US this year, a grim context that is likely to keep the story, and the debate around it, in the news through the week.
Last checked against official sources and major outlets: Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, 11:40 a.m. ET (8:40 a.m. PT).
