Hero who stopped Bend school shooter haunted by encounter: ‘I didn’t save everybody’

Key Points:

• Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old carpenter from Bend, Oregon, intervened during a mass shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School on October 15, stopping 16-year-old shooter Griffin J. John II after the teen had killed a teacher and three children.
• Giamanco’s presence at the scene was the result of a series of random decisions, including changing his lunch plans and opting to go home instead of a masonry shop, which led him near the school just before the shooting.
• Armed with a handgun in his truck, Giamanco entered the school through a broken window, confronted the gunman during a struggle with a teacher, and shot the shooter multiple times to prevent further casualties.
• Police and community leaders have praised Giamanco’s quick thinking and bravery, with Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz highlighting the courage shown by Giamanco and the teacher in stopping the attack.
• Despite being hailed as a hero, Giamanco struggles with trauma and guilt over the lives lost, expressing sorrow to the families of the victims and feeling haunted by the events of that day.