Father Intervenes in Fatal School Shooting
Kaylub Giamanco confronted the gunman at Silver Rail Elementary, preventing further casualties after three children and a teacher were killed.
Callum Smith
A father intervened during a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon.
I’m sorry, I have to go in. People are going to die," Giamanco informed emergency operators. He saw a person in black, carrying a long gun, firing into a pickup truck and at an individual mowing the school's lawn; the shooter then scaled a fence, moving toward the school building.
He entered the school through a window, shot out by the gunman. Giamanco stated he faced the teacher grappling with the shooter in profile, presenting an open shot. "He was scrambling for his weapon. I looked at him and I shot him two more times to make sure that he couldn’t move because I was afraid of him shooting anybody else."
Police confirmed Giamanco legally carried his gun in his truck. President Donald Trump praised Giamanco as 'a great hero that went in and did the business.'
Despite the praise, Giamanco expressed profound remorse. "I want to apologize for not saving their babies," he stated. "The gratitude for saving people’s children is awesome, but there were ones that I didn’t save."
I want to apologize for not saving their babies.
He also expressed a desire to hug the teacher involved, calling her "a real true hero." The injured teacher is Becky Drury, though police maintain the teacher who struggled with the shooter has not been publicly identified. Giamanco's mother is Kenda Freeman.
Giamanco believes the incident could have been prevented with more love and better parenting in the gunman's life. Police state the gunman's motive remains under investigation.
Giamanco feels he was put on this earth to do something more than just fix houses. He hopes to advocate for enhanced security infrastructure in classrooms, stating that if he is going to have a voice, he will use it to change the world and make it a better place.