President Donald Trump plans to invite an Oregon father who shot dead a school gunman to the White House, after the man intervened during an attack that killed three children and a teacher.
Kaylub Giamanco, 36, was driving past Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend during his lunch break on Thursday when he saw the 16-year-old attacker throw a shotgun over a wall. His two daughters attend the school.
Giamanco, who has a concealed-carry permit, took his legally carried pistol and ran inside. He found the gunman, Griffin J. John II, struggling with a teacher and shot him dead.
Trump described Giamanco as “a great hero” and said he intended to invite the carpenter to the White House to receive a civilian bravery honour.
“We had a great hero that went in and did the business,” the president said. “He took care of business. Thank God we had him otherwise it would have been much worse. It’s a terrible thing but thank goodness for a man that had a gun and knew how to use it.”
Teacher fought to stop Oregon school shooting
The unnamed teacher had thrown her mobile phone at John to distract him before grappling with him and attempting to take his weapon. She was not injured.
Bend police chief Mike Krantz said the teacher’s actions, along with Giamanco’s intervention, almost certainly prevented further bloodshed.
“His quick-thinking to observe and then follow someone into the school is incredible and undoubtedly saved lives,” Chief Krantz said. “And that is something that came naturally as a protective father.”
He added: “The teacher who is willing to stand and fight for her children is incredible. We all recognise that is true heroism and we don’t see that a lot in society.”
John had fired up to 15 rounds and was carrying another 44 rounds in a backpack when he was shot. Police said he had targeted a special education class at the school, where he had previously been a pupil.
The attack took place on the school’s picture day. Parents had sent their children in for photographs, but were instead left waiting for hours to learn whether they were safe.
Joe Camarlinghi, whose daughter attends the school, said some parents realised the photographs would be the last taken of their children. He praised Giamanco’s actions as “the answer to the prayers of a lot of parents”.
Giamanco’s mother, Kenda Freeman, said her son had been traumatised by the shooting and was not seeking recognition. She said he wanted to thank first responders, school staff and the community for their support.
Freeman said her son had telephoned her shortly after the attack and told her: “A man went into my daughters’ school and um, shot kids, and I looked at him point blank and I shot and killed him, mum.”
She recalled telling him that he had saved many lives, to which he replied: “Mum, I couldn’t save them all.”
Victims remembered after Silver Rail Elementary attack
The victims included five-year-old Rhoam Summer and 25-year-old teacher Meghan Lambert. Two other children, aged eight and 11, were also killed.
A seven-year-old child who uses a wheelchair was shot and remained stable in hospital, while educational assistant Becky Drury, 54, was also in a stable condition.
Lambert’s family described her as compassionate, funny and opinionated, with “a huge heart”. They said she fought for the underdog and for children with special needs, and had achieved her ambition of teaching at the school district where she had grown up.
Rhoam’s aunt, Swan Sheridan, said he loved rescuing and caring for stuffed animals, as well as climbing, running and reading.
John had previously attended Silver Rail as a special needs pupil. Police said he travelled to the school on foot, threw a Mossberg Maverick 12-gauge pump-action shotgun over a fence and entered through a rear entrance after being blocked at the front.
The weapon was reported to have been bought around the time of his 16th birthday. His mother, Shauntai Nickerson, declined to confirm whether she had purchased it for him.
Nickerson said she was “devastated” and told reporters: “I wish I could have done something. I’m so sorry. I miss my boy.”
Police raided the family home and seized computers and other electronic devices. The gunman’s motive remains unknown, while investigators said the source of the ammunition was still under examination.
