Father Who Stopped Oregon School Shooter Reveals the Trauma He Still Carries

Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old father of two from Bend, Oregon, is speaking publicly for the first time about the terrifying moment he decided to enter an elementary school where an armed teenager was attacking students and staff.

The carpenter became widely praised after fatally shooting the 16-year-old suspect at Silver Rail Elementary School on October 15, 2026. The attack had already claimed the lives of three children and a teacher before Giamanco intervened.

Giamanco said he was driving home for lunch when he noticed a man carrying a long gun near the school. At first, he thought the situation might be a prank. But after seeing the gunman fire at people outside the building and enter the school grounds, he realized children were in danger.

He retrieved his .40-caliber handgun, called 911 and told the dispatcher he needed to go inside because people could die if he did not act.

Inside the school, Giamanco followed the attacker while trying to remain out of sight. He recalled hearing children pleading for their lives and gunfire coming from the building. He eventually reached a classroom, where he saw a teacher struggling with the gunman.

Giamanco opened the door and fired. When the attacker reached for his weapon, he fired two more shots, saying he feared the teenager might shoot someone else.

Despite being praised for stopping the attack, Giamanco said he has struggled with the aftermath. He described lying awake at night, replaying what happened and remembering the screams and faces he encountered.

“I want to apologize for not saving their babies,” he said, speaking about the families of the children who died. His words reflected the guilt he feels over the lives he could not protect, even as others credit his intervention with preventing further deaths.

The tragedy has also affected his own family. Both of his daughters attend the school, and Giamanco said they have been staying away from home while trying to cope with what happened. He described his younger daughter repeatedly hugging him and telling him she loves him.

Giamanco has said he hopes to use the attention surrounding the incident to advocate for safer schools, including improved security measures and school resource officers. He has also emphasized the courage of the teacher who fought the attacker before he arrived.

The shooting remains a devastating event for the Bend community. For Giamanco, the public praise has not erased the memories of that day or the grief of the families who lost loved ones.

Source:  dailymail