Armed Hero Who Stopped Oregon School Shooting Identified as Carpenter, Humble Father of 2 Daughters
Thursday was just another day in Bend, Oregon, when carpenter Kaylub Giamanco got up, took his two daughters to Silver Rail Elementary School, and went to work.
Then came a lunch break that changed everything.
He heard gunshots, and he saw a person with a gun enter the school where his children were.
That’s when his concealed weapons permit would be used to save lives.
Kyle Giamanco said that his 36-year-old brother confronted the shooter, even after three children and an adult were killed, while another child and adult were critically wounded, according to NBC News.
And that’s why Kaylub Giamanco is keeping a low profile, his brother said. The man who stopped more children from dying cannot get out of his head that while many lived, he could not save them all.
The tragedy in Oregon has shown us what happens when good men have the means and ability to act swiftly, as Kaylub Giamanco did.
We thank this hero — an armed father who acted when seconds mattered most, saving countless innocent lives and striking evil down in its tracks. https://t.co/684AVL5rpz
— NRA (@NRA) October 16, 2026
The shooting took place in the special education room. Police have not revealed why 16-year-old John J. Griffin picked the room as his target.
Kenda Freeman, who identified herself as Giamanco’s mother, told the New York Post at a family home in Bend that she was “super proud” of her son’s quick thinking.
“He is absolutely a hero… It’s not an easy time, and he’s going through a lot… I’m super proud of him, and I couldn’t ask for more,” she said.
A family statement said Kaylub Giamanco is “not seeking recognition” and wants privacy.
“The tragedy at Silver Rail Elementary has devastated the Bend community. Lifelong Bend resident Kaylub Giamanco has come forward as the man who shot and killed the suspect who entered the school,” the statement said.
“He is not seeking recognition, but instead wishes to express his gratitude to the first responders, school personnel, and community for the outpouring of love and support,” the statement said.
“Kaylub’s family, including his two daughters, who attend the school, respectfully asks for privacy during this difficult time and will not be participating in any interviews at this time,” the statement said.
Griffin used a pump-action shotgun to blast his way into the school, which educates between 400 and 450 children.
President Donald Trump called Kaylub Giamanco a “great hero… who took care of business,” according to Newsweek.
“Thank God we had him otherwise it would have been much worse,” Trump said. “It’s a terrible thing, but thank goodness for a man that had a gun and knew how to use it.”
No motive for the incident has yet been revealed, according to CBS News.
Griffin, the shooter, was a Bend resident, but any connection he had to the school has not been revealed.
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