A teacher and a parent have been hailed for their bravery after intervening during a deadly shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, that left four people dead, including three children and a teacher.
According to police, the incident occurred on Thursday when a 16-year-old former pupil allegedly opened fire in a special educational needs classroom, killing four people and injuring two others.
Investigators said the suspect first fired shots in the school car park before shooting through the glass panels of locked doors to gain entry into the building.
Inside the classroom, a teacher confronted the teenager and attempted to wrestle a shotgun from him. She reportedly threw her mobile phone at the suspect before engaging him in an effort to stop the attack.
A father of two pupils at the school, who was passing by the premises, also intervened after witnessing the shooting. Armed with a legally concealed pistol, he entered the school and fired several shots at the suspect, killing him.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz commended both individuals, saying their actions had helped prevent further loss of life.
He said the teacher was not injured during the confrontation but had almost certainly helped limit the scale of the tragedy.
Police identify victims and suspect
Police identified two of the victims as five-year-old Rhoam Summer and 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert. The identities of the other two children, aged eight and 11, had not been publicly released at the time of the briefing.
Lambert's family described her as a compassionate person who had always wanted to teach in the district where she grew up. They said she was particularly committed to supporting vulnerable learners and children with special needs.
Summer's grandfather, Bryan Jolly, said the family was devastated by the loss, describing the boy as bright, playful and full of life.
Two other people were injured in the shooting. They included a 54-year-old teacher who remained in hospital and a seven-year-old pupil who was reported to be in serious but stable condition.
Police identified the suspect as Griffin J. John II, a 16-year-old who had previously attended the school as a special educational needs student.
Authorities said the teenager had approximately 44 additional rounds of shotgun ammunition when he was stopped and may have fired as many as 15 rounds inside the classroom.
Investigators have searched the suspect's home and are continuing to establish how he obtained the firearm, the route he took to the school and what may have motivated the attack.
The father who intervened was identified by his family to US media as Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old carpenter. His family said he was deeply shaken by the incident despite his role in stopping the suspect.
His mother, Kenda Freeman, told a local television station that her son called her shortly after the shooting and described what had happened. She said he was distressed that he had been unable to save everyone.
US President Donald Trump praised the man who intervened, describing him as a hero, while Oregon Governor Tina Kotek acknowledged his actions and expressed concern about the emotional toll of confronting such violence.
Police said investigations into the shooting remain ongoing as the community mourns the victims and authorities seek answers about the circumstances surrounding the attack.
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