Oregon father stops school shooter

A 16-year-old armed with a shotgun killed three children and one adult at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, on Oct. 15. Kaylub Giamanco, a father of two students at the school, entered the building and stopped the attacker, according to police and his family.

Gun rights attorney Guy Relford analyzed Giamanco's actions on The Gun Guy Show on 93.1 WIBC. He detailed the specific choices Giamanco described in a local television interview. Relford noted that Giamanco moved under windows and through a broken lower window at the entrance. This approach allowed him to remain unseen by the shooter. Relford stated that mass shooters often seek notoriety, so he does not use their names during his analysis.

Before entering the special needs classroom where the shooter was located, Giamanco racked the slide on his handgun a second time. He ejected a live round to verify that a cartridge was chambered. Relford found this action noteworthy. He explained that trainers typically teach a press check to visually confirm the round. However, Giamanco wanted to ensure he was ready to fire immediately.

Relford addressed common objections that a shooter cannot be fired upon if they are unaware of the defender's presence. He stated that in Oregon, Indiana, and most other states, reasonable force, including deadly force, is permitted to protect oneself or a third party from serious bodily injury or death. After Giamanco fired the first shot, he continued to watch the attacker. When the shooter fumbled for his shotgun, Giamanco fired twice more.

After the second pair of shots, Giamanco placed his gun down and raised his hands. This action was intended to help arriving police officers identify him as a defender rather than a threat. Relford compared Giamanco to Elisjsha Dicken, who stopped the Greenwood Park Mall shooter in 2022. Relford noted that Dicken had no formal training, suggesting that effective responses can come from individuals without specialized preparation.

The incident occurred at a school in Bend, Oregon. The shooter was 16 years old and carried a shotgun. Four people died in the event. Giamanco is the father of two students enrolled at Silver Rail Elementary. He described his entry method and weapon check in a local TV interview. Relford provided his legal and tactical assessment of those events on a radio program.