Oregon Father Who Stopped Elementary School Shooter Reveals the Trauma He Cannot Escape

A father who fatally shot a teenage gunman during a deadly attack at his daughters’ elementary school in Oregon is speaking publicly about the terrifying moments that unfolded inside the building — and the guilt he continues to carry over the lives he could not save.

Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old carpenter from Bend, Oregon, said he had been going about an ordinary day on October 15, 2026, when he unexpectedly encountered an armed teenager near Silver Rail Elementary School. His two young daughters attended the school.

According to Giamanco’s account to Oregon Public Broadcasting, he saw the gunman fire at people outside before heading toward the school. Realizing children could be in immediate danger, he called 911 and moved toward the building with his legally carried handgun.

Giamanco said he heard children pleading for their lives as he crawled through a damaged window and toward a special education classroom. Inside, he saw a teacher struggling with the armed teenager. He opened the classroom door and fired, fatally shooting the attacker after the teenager reached for his weapon, according to his account.

The October 15 attack killed three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, as well as a 25-year-old teacher. Two other people were seriously injured. Authorities have credited Giamanco and the teacher who confronted the gunman with helping prevent further loss of life.

Yet Giamanco said the experience has left him struggling to sleep. He described reliving the incident at night, hearing the screams and remembering the faces of those involved.

“I want to apologize for not saving their babies,” he said while reflecting on the families who lost loved ones. Although he knows his intervention helped save lives, he continues to question whether he could have done more.

Giamanco also expressed admiration for the teacher who fought the gunman, saying her actions gave him an opportunity to intervene. He said he hopes to meet her and thank her personally.

The aftermath has affected his own family as well. Giamanco said his wife and daughters have been trying to cope with the tragedy, and the family temporarily stayed away from their home because they could see the school from their house. He has not yet decided when he will return to his carpentry work.

Despite being widely praised for his actions, Giamanco said he does not want the tragedy to become a political argument. Instead, he hopes the experience will encourage people to consider how schools can better protect children.

For a father who acted in a matter of seconds, the consequences have continued long after the gunfire stopped. He is now trying to care for his own children while coming to terms with the lives lost at the school where they should have been safe.

Source:  DAILYMAIL