A carpenter with a concealed carry permit shot and killed a teenage gunman who murdered three young children and a teacher at an Oregon elementary school, ending a rampage that could have claimed more lives. The armed citizen, a father of two students at the school, confronted the shooter during his lunch break while a heroic teacher physically fought the attacker.
Critical Minutes at Silver Rail Elementary
The attack unfolded rapidly at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend on Thursday afternoon. At 12:58 p.m., the teenage shooter climbed over a school fence after throwing his weapon ahead of him. A driver in a red Toyota pickup verbally challenged the gunman, who responded by firing at the truck multiple times without injuring the driver. That driver made the first 911 call at 12:59 p.m., reporting shots fired by someone carrying a long gun.
The shooter forced entry by firing through locked doors around 1 p.m. and headed straight for a special education classroom containing students of varying ages. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz confirmed the school received lockdown orders at 1:01 p.m., with the first officers arriving just one minute later at 1:02 p.m. By then, the shooting had already ended.
Armed Citizen and Teacher Take Action
Kaylub Giamanco, 36, witnessed the gunman enter the school where his two daughters attend classes. He retrieved his legally secured 40-caliber pistol from his vehicle and followed the shooter inside. Giamanco heard gunfire and discovered a female teacher engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the attacker. The teacher had thrown her cellphone at the gunman and was fighting to grab his firearm when Giamanco entered the classroom and shot the suspect multiple times, killing him.
Police Chief Krantz praised the unnamed teacher’s actions, stating she almost certainly prevented additional bloodshed despite not being injured herself. The teacher’s physical confrontation with an armed shooter exemplifies extraordinary courage under fire. Officers confirmed the suspect’s death upon entering the building and immediately began evacuating more than 400 students and 40 staff members to a nearby church reunification center.
Victims and Constitutional Questions
Among the victims was five-year-old Rhoam Summer, whose mother Kelik Summer described the tragedy as the worst day of her life in a Facebook post. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek acknowledged the heroism of staff members, parents, first responders, and the armed citizen who intervened. The incident highlights ongoing debates about school security and Second Amendment rights, as an armed civilian responded faster than law enforcement despite their three-minute arrival time. This case demonstrates both the vulnerability of gun-free school zones and the potential for lawfully armed citizens to stop active threats when seconds matter most.
Wonderful of the teacher and armed carry man, we need miore like them.