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Last week, a teenager opened fire in a special education classroom at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, killing three children and a teacher.

A man later identified as Kaylub Giamanco, a father of two children at Silver Rail, pursued the armed 16-year-old into the school and fatally shot him. Police say Giamanco’s actions saved many lives.

This morning, Giamanco shares what he wants people to know about his experience in an exclusive interview with OPB.

— Bradley W. Parks

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‘I’m just a carpenter from Bend’: Father who killed Silver Rail school shooter grapples with the aftermath

Three children — ages 5, 8 and 11 — and a 25-year-old teacher were killed on Oct. 15 after a 16-year-old with a shotgun opened fire in a special needs classroom in Bend. Two others were injured.Kaylub Giamanco pursued and fatally shot the teenage shooter with a handgun he stored in his truck. Giamanco is a 36-year-old carpenter and father. Police say his actions on Oct. 15 saved many lives.

In an exclusive interview with OPB, Giamanco recalled noticing the boy with a weapon entering the elementary school where he had earlier dropped off his two young daughters for school picture day. He called 911, but hung up the call after grabbing his handgun and saying, “I’m sorry, I have to go in. People are going to die.”

Giamanco described it as the scariest day of his entire life, and said he’s thinking of the victims’ families and wishing he could have saved their loved ones. In the week since the shooting, Giamanco has grappled with emotional trauma from the violent events, as well as the weight of taking the shooter’s life.

“I do want to believe that if he had more love in his life and better parenting, that this could have been prevented,” he said.

You can watch the interview and read more on OPB.org by clicking the button below. (Emily Cureton-Cook and Jen Baires)

Learn More

Bend school shooting spotlights pressures on families of children with special needs

Oregon has some of the country’s tightest limits on special education funding.

As many questions about the Silver Rail shooting remain, families of children with disabilities are wondering if the tragedy could have been prevented. (Bryce Dole)

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/23/bend-oregon-school-shooting-kaylub-giamanco/