'People are going to die': Oregon hero recounts confronting school gunman

In a harrowing incident on October 15, 2026, at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, a father bravely intervened to stop a school gunman. Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old carpenter whose two daughters attend the school, was driving by when he witnessed a 16-year-old assailant, identified as Griffin J. John II, open fire. Giamanco, equipped with his legally owned .40-caliber handgun, contacted 911 but informed the dispatcher, "I'm sorry, I have to go in. People are going to die," before proceeding into the school.

Giamanco entered the building through a shattered window and crawled towards a special education classroom, driven by the sounds of gunfire and children's pleas for their lives. Inside, he discovered a teacher actively struggling with the gunman. Seizing the opportunity, Giamanco fired his weapon, fatally wounding the shooter and bringing an end to the violent rampage.

The tragic event resulted in the deaths of three children, aged 5, 8, and 11, and a 25-year-old teacher, Megan Lambert. Despite the lives lost, authorities, including police and President Donald Trump, have lauded Giamanco's heroic actions, crediting him with preventing further casualties. Giamanco himself has expressed profound regret that he could not save every victim, but his swift and courageous intervention is widely recognized for saving numerous other lives.