36-year-old father who killed Oregon school shooter recounts hearing children cry for help

Six people were shot inside a classroom at Silver Rail Elementary School in Oregon this month, leaving three students and one teacher dead. The attacker, a 16-year-old former student, was killed by Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old carpenter and parent of two daughters at the school. Giamanco spoke publicly for the first time in an interview aired on Friday, detailing the split-second decisions that led to the gunman's death.

The attack began with gunfire in a pickup truck outside the school. Giamanco was returning home from work to eat lunch with his wife when he saw the shooter. He retrieved a handgun from his vehicle and called emergency services. He told Oregon Public Broadcasting that he told the dispatcher, 'I'm sorry, I have to go in. People are going to die.'

Giamanco crawled toward the building after hearing children plead for their lives. He entered through a shattered window and found a teacher locked in a struggle with the gunman. He opened the door and fired his weapon. He fired again when the attacker reached for his gun. Giamanco placed his gun on the ground and raised his hands as an officer arrived.

The three students killed were boys aged five, eight, and 11. The teacher killed was Megan Lambert, 25. Two other individuals survived the shooting: teacher Becky Drury, 54, and one unidentified student. Drury said in a statement that the gunman shot her as she tried to shut her classroom door.

Giamanco credited the teacher who fought the attacker with giving him the chance to survive. She threw her phone at the gunman, tackled him, and fought for his shotgun. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said she almost certainly helped prevent more bloodshed. Giamanco said he wanted to hug her and called her a true hero.

The gunman was identified as Griffin J John II, a former pupil who attended special education classes at the school. His motive remains under investigation. The youngest victim, Rhoam Summer, was five years old. His father said the family is broken and lost. Lambert's family described her as working her dream job and always fighting for students with special needs.

Giamanco's identity became public less than a day after the shooting. His mother, Kenda Freeman, read a family statement asking for privacy and noting that he was not seeking recognition. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek praised his actions while acknowledging the emotional burden they carry. She told him, 'Your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you as well.'

Giamanco said he lies awake at night replaying the events. He described seeing faces, hearing voices, and hearing screams. He said he wanted to apologize to the parents of the children he could not save, noting that while gratitude for saving some lives is awesome, others remain unsaved.