BEND, United States — A 16-year-old gunman killed three children and a teacher at an elementary school in Oregon before being shot dead by a parent who intervened, police said.
The attacker opened fire inside a special education classroom at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, killing three boys aged five, eight, and 11, and a 25-year-old female teacher.
Another child, seven, and a teacher, 54, were seriously injured.
The shooting occurred shortly before 1 p.m. on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
Police identified the gunman as Griffin J. John II, a former pupil of the school.
He was killed by Kaylub Giamanco, 36, whose two daughters attend the school, after another teacher attempted to overpower the attacker.
Teacher Fought Gunman Before Parent Intervened
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said the teenager climbed over a fence surrounding the school after throwing his shotgun onto the premises.
He initially fired at a passing vehicle before approaching the school building.
The gunman then shot through the glass panels of locked entrance doors and entered a classroom serving children with special educational needs.
According to a police statement, he fired as many as 15 rounds during the attack.
A teacher inside the classroom threw her mobile phone at the teenager before tackling him and attempting to wrestle away his weapon.
Giamanco, who had witnessed the initial shooting outside, followed the attacker into the building with a legally possessed pistol.
He found the teacher struggling with the gunman and fired several shots, killing him.
Krantz said the actions of both adults had prevented further deaths.
The teacher who confronted the gunman was not injured.
Police recovered a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun and approximately 44 unused rounds of ammunition from the attacker.
Investigators are examining how he obtained the weapon and what motivated the shooting.
According to Reuters, the gunman had previously attended Silver Rail as a special education pupil but was no longer enrolled in the district.
Victims Identified as Community Mourns
Police identified the slain teacher as Megan Lambert, 25, and the youngest victim as Rhoam Summer, five.
The identities of the other two children are being withheld at their families’ request.
Lambert’s family described teaching at Silver Rail as her dream job.
A graduate of Boise State University, she had also worked as a volleyball coach.
“She always fought for the underdog and those with special needs,” her family said.
The family thanked Giamanco for intervening.
The wounded seven-year-old girl was receiving treatment at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital in Portland and was reported to be in serious but stable condition.
The injured teacher, identified as Becky Drury, 54, underwent surgery for wounds to her arm and hand. Police said her injuries were not life-threatening.
Following the shooting, pupils were evacuated to a nearby church, where parents gathered to collect their children.
Thousands of residents attended a candlelight vigil in Bend, while mourners left flowers, toys, and messages outside the school.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek praised the parent and teacher who confronted the gunman and offered condolences to the victims’ families.
Classes and activities across the Bend-La Pine school district were cancelled on Friday.
The FBI and federal firearms investigators are assisting local police.
Authorities have not established a motive for the attack.
