Students in Bend, Oregon, stayed away from school on Monday as the community mourned the victims of a deadly shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School. Three children and a teacher were killed in the attack on Thursday.
Police said a 16-year-old former student entered the school and opened fire inside a special needs classroom. The victims included teacher Megan Lambert, 25, and three children, including five-year-old Rhoam Summer. The other children were aged eight and 11.
According to Bend police, four adults and five children were in the classroom when the shooting began. The attack lasted about three minutes and left the town facing a painful loss.
Investigators said the teenager jumped a fence to enter the school grounds. A driver in a red Toyota pickup tried to stop him. The teenager fired at the vehicle, striking it at least three times.
The driver then left the area and called 911 shortly before 1 p.m., police said.
The teenager continued toward the school building and fired at the glass in a set of double doors, breaking his way inside. He then turned left into a special needs classroom near the main entrance and opened fire.
Police said he fired as many as 15 shots inside the classroom. The weapon was identified as a Maverick 88 pump-action 12-gauge shotgun. Investigators said the teenager had about 44 rounds remaining.
The attack was stopped after a teacher confronted the gunman. Police Chief Mike Krantz said the teacher threw her cellphone at the teenager and then wrestled with him in an attempt to take the shotgun away.
During the struggle, Kaylub Giamanco, 36, a father of two children who attended the school, entered the building through a broken window, police said. He had a legally owned .40-caliber handgun and fired several shots at the teenager.
The gunman died at the scene, according to police. Giamanco’s actions drew praise from President Donald Trump, who described him as “a great hero.”
The incident has focused attention on the actions of the teacher and the parent who intervened as the shooting unfolded. Their efforts came during a brief but deadly attack that left several families grieving.
Police have not released all details about the teenager’s movements or what led him to target the school. The investigation remains active as authorities work to establish the full sequence of events.
The Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office said Monday that the case remained open. Officials have not said whether the teenager’s mother could face charges.
Authorities have also not announced a final account of how the teenager obtained the shotgun or what may have motivated the attack. Such questions are likely to remain central to the investigation.
The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians confirmed that the teenager was an enrolled member of the tribe. Kurtis Barker, the group’s chief executive officer, expressed sympathy for the victims’ families and the wider Bend community.
The statement came as residents faced the loss of children and a teacher whose lives were cut short. The shooting has also affected students, school staff and families who must now cope with the aftermath of the violence.
Schools are often places where children and families expect to feel safe. An attack inside a classroom can leave lasting effects beyond those who were physically hurt, including classmates, teachers and first responders.
The shooting has added to the wider debate over gun violence in American schools. CNN counted the incident as the 36th shooting on K-12 school grounds in the United States this year.
The figure reflects the continuing challenge facing communities and officials seeking to prevent violence in schools. Each incident raises questions about school safety, access to firearms and how to respond when a threat emerges.
For Bend, the immediate focus remains on mourning the four victims and supporting the families affected by the attack. Students did not return to class on Monday as the town began to process the loss.
Police continue to investigate the shooting, while prosecutors review the case. Further details may emerge as authorities work to answer the remaining questions about how the attack happened and whether anyone else could face legal consequences.
