Three Children And One Teacher Killed In Bend, Oregon Elementary School Shooting
A 16-year-old forced entry into Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday, October 15, 2026, killing three children and one teacher and critically wounding two others.[1]
Police and law-enforcement sources identified the shooter as 16-year-old John Griffin III and said he used a shotgun that had been purchased by his mother.[2] A community member later identified as Kaylub Giamanco pursued the shooter into the school, entered the classroom and fatally shot him, officials said.[3] Police said three children ages 5, 8 and 11 and a 25-year-old teacher, Megan Lambert, were found dead in a special education classroom, and a 7-year-old and a 54-year-old teacher were hospitalized.[4]
The first 911 call came at about 2:59 p.m. Central, reporting shots fired into a car outside the school, and officers were on scene within minutes.[5] Police say the attacker fired as many as 15 rounds through the locked entry and into the classroom immediately to the left of the main doors.[6] Hundreds of law-enforcement officers swept the school room by room to evacuate students and staff, and the Bend-La Pine district canceled classes and activities the following day.[4]
Early television and wire reports noted multiple victims and a rapid police response without detailing a classroom target.[7] Later reporting by the New York Times and PBS said the attacker went straight to a special education classroom and fired as many as 15 rounds there.[4]
Show source details & analysis (19 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Thursday, October 15, 2026, a 16-year-old forced entry into Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon by firing through locked doors with a long gun, killing three children (ages 5, 8 and 11) and one teacher, and critically wounding a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher.
- Law-enforcement sources identified the 16-year-old shooter as John Griffin III and said he used a shotgun that had been purchased by his mother.
- A community member who later identified himself as Kaylub Giamanco pursued the shooter into the school, entered the classroom and fatally shot him; Gov. Tina Kotek publicly praised the bystander and called him a hero.
- Police say the attacker went directly to a special education classroom immediately to the left of the main entry and fired as many as 15 rounds there, and that the four fatalities occurred in that classroom.
- The first 911 call reporting shots fired outside the school came at about 2:59 p.m. Central on October 15, 2026; officers were on scene within minutes and hundreds of law‑enforcement personnel conducted room‑by‑room evacuations.
- Victims confirmed by police and family statements included 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert and 5-year-old student Rhoam Summer; the families of the other child victims (ages 8 and 11) requested that their names not be released, and the wounded 7-year-old and teacher Becky Drury (54) were hospitalized.
- Authorities said they are reviewing the suspect’s computer, phone, social media and search history as part of a preliminary probe into motive, and that it was not yet clear whether he knew anyone at the school.
- All schools in the Bend‑La Pine district canceled classes and activities for Friday, October 16, 2026, and the community held vigils and memorials in the days after the attack.
📰 Source Timeline (19)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
October 18, 2026
12:28 AM
Bend school district honors slain teacher, praises staff member's courage during attack: ‘Forever grateful’
New information:
- On Saturday, October 17, 2026, the Bend-La Pine Schools district publicly praised slain special education teacher Megan Lambert, 25, and injured inclusion educational assistant Becky Drury for their actions during the October 15 attack.
- The district disclosed that a learning specialist "engaged directly with the shooter" and described that staff member's response as showing "extraordinary courage," saying it was forever in the district's debt.
- Police-confirmed victim details in this piece include 5-year-old student Rhoam Summer as one of the three children killed, and note that the families of two other child victims, ages 8 and 11, requested that their names not be released.
- The article reiterates that a 7-year-old girl and staff member Becky Drury were injured and are recovering following the October 15, 2026 shooting.
- The report again identifies 36-year-old parent Kaylub Giamanco as the armed bystander who retrieved a legally secured .40-caliber pistol from his car, pursued the teen gunman into Silver Rail Elementary School, and fatally shot him on October 15.
- Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said Friday that an unnamed teacher confronted the gunman by throwing a cellphone and tackling him and that she "was willing to stand and fight for her children."
- On Saturday, October 17, 2026, community members gathered near Silver Rail Elementary for a sidewalk memorial, leaving flowers, prayers and chalk messages to mourn Lambert and the child victims.
October 17, 2026
1:13 AM
Sacramento mom says "hero" son shot, killed Oregon school shooter
New information:
- Article identifies 36-year-old contractor and parent Kaylub Giamanco as the armed bystander who pursued the 16-year-old shooter into Silver Rail Elementary School and fatally shot him on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
- Giamanco's mother, Kenda Freeman, describes that he was driving home on his lunch break when he saw the shooter on campus, drove onto the grass, grabbed his legally owned firearm, followed the gunman into the school, crawled through a window the shooter had blown out, and shot him at point-blank range.
- Bend police said Friday, October 16, 2026, that they believe the teenage gunman was targeting a classroom of children with special needs and that up to 15 rounds were fired during the classroom attack.
- Police reiterated that three children and a teacher were killed and confirmed that another child and a teacher were wounded and remained hospitalized on Friday, October 16, 2026.
- The shooter is again identified as 16-year-old Griffin J. John II, and law enforcement sources told CBS News that he used a shotgun purchased by his mother.
- Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and community members have praised Giamanco's actions, while his mother says he is traumatized and struggling with the fact he could not "save them all."
October 16, 2026
11:01 PM
Slain Teacher Loved Work, Volleyball and the Underdog, Her Family Says
New information:
- Article identifies the slain teacher as 25-year-old Megan Lambert and reports her family described Silver Rail Elementary as her 'dream job.'
- It confirms one of the child victims as 5-year-old pupil Rhoam Summer, based on an interview with his grandfather, Bryan Jolly.
- The piece specifies that all four fatalities occurred in the same special education classroom immediately to the left of the main entry doors.
- Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said on Friday, October 16, 2026, that the 7-year-old girl wounded in the attack is in 'serious but stable' condition.
- Friends and family reported that injured teacher Becky Drury, 54, has serious but non-life-threatening injuries, according to a family friend, Zack Hall.
- A friend of the wounded 7-year-old's family said a teacher attempted to shield the girl during the shooting, based on the family's account.
10:55 PM
Oregon school shooter attacked special education classroom, police say
New information:
- In an October 16, 2026 PBS NewsHour segment, Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said the 16-year-old suspect went directly to a special education classroom immediately to the left of the entry doors and fired as many as 15 rounds there.
- Police reiterated that the suspect, identified as 16-year-old Griffin J. John II, previously attended Silver Rail Elementary as a special needs student.
- PBS confirmed the identities of two victims as 5-year-old student Rhoam Summer and 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert.
- Chief Krantz said the shooter gained access by firing multiple rounds into the glass panes of the school’s locked doors with a shotgun registered to his mother.
- The chief provided a more detailed account of the armed bystander’s actions, saying the man entered through the forced-open doors, heard gunfire, saw a teacher physically struggling with the suspect, then entered the classroom and shot the suspect multiple times.
- The PBS piece notes that the Associated Press has classified this attack as the 28th mass killing in the United States in 2026.
7:12 PM
‘He’s a Dad.’ Parent Heard Shots and Rushed to Stop the Gunman.
New information:
- The armed bystander who entered Silver Rail Elementary School and fatally shot the attacker on Thursday, October 15, 2026, was identified as 36-year-old Kaylub Gianmaco, a father of two students at the school.
- Gianmaco lives about five blocks from Silver Rail Elementary in a neighborhood of new homes with many young families and was on his lunch break near the school when he intervened.
- Gianmaco, via a statement read by his mother, Kenda Freeman, said he is not seeking recognition and expressed gratitude to first responders, school personnel and the community for their support.
- The shooter was identified by two law-enforcement officials as 16-year-old John J. Griffin II, a Bend resident.
- A law-enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity said investigators believe the teenager used a shotgun that belonged to his mother.
- The shooter's mother, identified as Ms. Nickerson, told reporters on Friday, October 16, 2026, that she did not know how her son obtained the weapon, said there were no warning signs, and apologized, saying, "I'm just so sorry."
7:01 PM
Man who stopped the Oregon elementary school shooter has 2 daughters at the school, his mom says
New information:
- On Thursday, October 15, 2026, Bend resident Kaylub Giamanco, a father of two Silver Rail Elementary students, pursued the 16-year-old shooter into the school and shot him, according to a statement read by his mother, Kenda Freeman, on Friday, October 16.
- Gov. Tina Kotek publicly praised the unnamed community member at an October 15 news conference for following the gunman into the school and helping to end the rampage, saying the person likely saved lives.
- The article reiterates that three children ages 5, 8 and 11 and one teacher were killed, and that a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher remained hospitalized in critical condition as of October 16.
- Police Chief Mike Krantz said the 16-year-old suspect, identified only as a Bend resident, gained entry by shooting through locked doors with a pump-action shotgun purchased by his mother, and was found dead inside the school minutes after the first 911 call.
- The article states that the first 911 call reporting shots fired outside the school came early in the afternoon on October 15 from someone outside the building who was being shot at with a long gun, followed by additional calls from inside the school.
- The report notes that police say they do not yet know whether the shooter knew anyone at Silver Rail Elementary or had previously attended the school.
- The Associated Press mass-killing database cited in the article counts the Bend shooting as the 28th mass killing in the United States in 2026.
5:51 PM
Hero bystander who took down Oregon school shooter comes forward
New information:
- On Friday, October 16, 2026, the bystander who stopped the Silver Rail Elementary shooter publicly identified himself as Kaylub Giamanco, a lifelong Bend resident with two daughters at the school.
- Giamanco pursued the 16-year-old attacker inside the school and fatally shot him, according to Bend police, ending the rampage.
- In a written statement released Friday, Giamanco's family said he is not seeking recognition and asked for privacy, expressing gratitude to first responders, school personnel and the community.
- Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz reiterated Thursday that the shooter entered by shooting through locked doors before being pursued and killed by the bystander.
- Law enforcement sources told CBS News the attacker, identified as 16-year-old John Griffin Jr. III, used a shotgun purchased by his mother.
5:13 PM
5-year-old victim identified in Oregon school shooting
New information:
- Article identifies one of the child victims as 5-year-old Rhoam Summer, based on fundraisers and a Facebook post by his father, Kelik Summer.
- Article reports that two law enforcement sources have identified the 16-year-old suspect as John Griffin III of Bend, Oregon.
- Article confirms the suspect was shot and killed by a bystander, identified by his family as Kaylub Giamanco, whose two daughters attend Silver Rail Elementary School.
- Giamanco's family issued a statement on Friday, October 16, 2026, saying he is not seeking recognition and expressing gratitude to first responders, school personnel and the community for support.
- Article reiterates that the 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher remained in critical condition at St. Charles Medical Center, with their names not yet publicly released as of October 16, 2026.
- Police are expected to hold a news conference on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 2 p.m. local time to provide further updates.
5:10 PM
Oregon school shooter ID'd, used shotgun bought by mother, source say
New information:
- On Thursday, October 15, 2026, Bend police identified the 16-year-old Silver Rail Elementary School gunman as John Griffin Jr. III, according to two law-enforcement sources cited by CBS News.
- Law-enforcement sources told CBS News the attacker used a shotgun that had been purchased by his mother.
- Investigators are reviewing the suspect's computer, phone, social media, search history and other online activity to assess whether he was obsessed with violence and prior mass shootings, though they emphasized the probe is in preliminary stages.
- CBS News reiterated that the three children killed were ages 5, 8 and 11, and confirmed the 5-year-old victim as Rhoam Summer based on fundraisers and a social media post from his father.
- The article restates that a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher remained hospitalized in critical condition after the October 15, 2026 shooting.
1:23 PM
Teen shooter kills 4 at Oregon elementary school before being shot by a witness
New information:
- The PBS/AP article confirms the shooter was a 16-year-old Bend resident who was shot by a community member who followed him into Silver Rail Elementary School after he forced entry on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
- Police state the attacker used a pump-action shotgun that had been purchased by his mother, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the shooting.
- Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz reiterated that three children aged 5, 8, and 11 and one teacher were killed, while a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher remain hospitalized in critical condition after the October 15 attack.
- The first 911 call came just before 1 p.m. Pacific time on October 15, 2026, from a person in a vehicle outside the school who reported being shot at by someone with a long gun; additional 911 calls then came from inside the school.
- Police officials say they do not yet know whether the shooter knew anyone at Silver Rail Elementary or had attended the school.
- Classes, sports and extracurricular activities were canceled on Friday, October 16, 2026, for all 32 schools in the Bend-La Pine district following the shooting.
- Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek publicly thanked the civilian who intervened and described her heart as 'absolutely broken', acknowledging the emotional burden on the person who shot the attacker.
- The article cites an Associated Press/USA Today/Northeastern University database, stating this was the 28th mass killing in the United States in 2026.
11:03 AM
Teen kills 4 at Oregon school. And, DOJ sues California over alleged noncitizens
New information:
- NPR reiterates that on Thursday, October 15, 2026, a 16-year-old boy from Bend, Oregon, used a long gun to fire through locked doors to enter Silver Rail Elementary School, killing three children ages 5, 8 and 11 and a teacher and wounding a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher.
- The article stresses that Bend-La Pine Schools advertised multiple security features on its website — secure vestibules, visitor ID checks, and electronic buzz-in systems — but that these measures did not prevent the gunman from entering once he shot through locked doors.
- NPR quotes Bend police and Up First reporter Arezou Rezvani describing the sequence in which an unidentified community member followed the attacker into the school and fatally shot him shortly after police arrived.
9:51 AM
Here’s the latest.
New information:
- Article confirms that on Thursday, October 15, 2026, a 16-year-old boy used a long gun to shoot his way through locked doors at Silver Rail Elementary School before being shot dead by a bystander.
- Officials say the victims include three children ages 5, 8, and 11, and a teacher, with a 7-year-old child and another teacher critically injured; authorities have not yet publicly named the victims, the shooter, or the bystander.
- Police state it is not yet clear whether the shooter knew anyone at the school, and they continue to investigate motive and connections.
- Officials describe a rapid law-enforcement response: Silver Rail was locked down, officers entered the compound within minutes of the first 911 call, confirmed the gunman was dead, and evacuated students and staff.
- On Thursday night, October 15, 2026, hundreds of residents held a candlelight vigil in Bend's Drake Park, writing chalk messages of remembrance and calls for tighter gun control laws.
- Gov. Tina Kotek publicly called the bystander who shot the attacker a hero and, in a news conference Thursday night, said her thoughts were with him due to the 'heavy emotional burden' of his actions.
- Coverage notes that Oregon has comparatively strict gun laws and is ranked 12th out of 50 states by the advocacy group Everytown for gun law strength, though some of its gun regulations are currently tied up in court.
1:45 AM
Bend, Ore., is known for its outdoor charm.
New information:
- Article reiterates that on Thursday, October 15, 2026, a 16-year-old forced entry into Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon by firing through locked doors, killing three children ages 5, 8 and 11 and one teacher, and critically injuring a 7-year-old and another teacher.
- Police said the first 911 call came at 12:59 p.m. local time from a person in a car who reported being shot at by someone with a long gun; the school was in lockdown and officers were on scene by 1:02 p.m.
- Officials stated that an armed bystander pursued the shooter into the school and shot him dead; Gov. Tina Kotek publicly called the bystander a hero and addressed him directly in a news conference.
- Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler gave an on-camera statement describing the losses as "unimaginable" and saying she was struggling to make sense of them.
- The article provides community and geographic context, noting Bend has a population of about 107,000, is about 130 miles southeast of Salem, and is a major outdoor recreation destination surrounded by national forests.
1:17 AM
The school shooting in Oregon adds Silver Rail Elementary to a grim list.
New information:
- Article confirms that on Thursday, October 15, 2026, the suspect, a 16-year-old boy from Bend, forced entry into Silver Rail Elementary School by shooting at locked doors with a long gun.
- Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said at a news conference that three children ages 5, 8 and 11 and one teacher were found dead at the scene, and that a 7-year-old child and another teacher were transported to a nearby hospital with critical injuries.
- Chief Krantz stated the shooter was shot and killed by a community member who pursued the suspect inside the school and "engaged him"; the suspect was then found dead by responding officers.
- The live report notes hundreds of law-enforcement officers from agencies across central Oregon conducted a room-by-room sweep to evacuate students and staff, consistent with the cited police news release.
- Officials said all schools in the Bend-La Pine district canceled classes and activities for Friday, October 16, 2026, in response to the shooting.
- The article explicitly situates the Bend attack within a three-decade pattern of major U.S. school shootings, listing prior incidents in Georgia (Apalachee High School), Brown University, a Minneapolis Catholic school, Robb Elementary in Uvalde, and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
- The piece adds that Oregon, ranked 12th by Everytown for gun-law strength, has passed measures including a ban on bump stocks, a pending high-capacity magazine ban and stricter background checks approved in 2022, and laws targeting 3-D-printed ghost guns, while lacking a full assault-weapons ban.
- Gov. Tina Kotek, Mayor Melanie Kebler, and Superintendent Steve Cook are quoted publicly acknowledging the community's grief and promising more information on Friday, establishing the early investigative stage.
12:54 AM
Three Children and One Teacher Killed in Elementary School Shooting in Oregon
New information:
- On Thursday, October 15, 2026, Bend police said three children and one teacher were killed in the Silver Rail Elementary School shooting.
- Police said the suspect was a 16-year-old who lived in Bend, Oregon.
- According to police, the 16-year-old suspect was shot and killed by a community member who followed the shooter into Silver Rail Elementary School.
October 15, 2026
10:45 PM
News Wrap: Trump says Fort Hood shooter's execution will not be livestreamed
New information:
- The October 15, 2026, PBS NewsHour wrap reports that police have confirmed multiple victims in the shooting at a school in Bend, Oregon.
- The segment reinforces that the Bend school shooting was an active situation being reported by national outlets on October 15, 2026.
10:32 PM
At Least 2 People Are Shot at an Elementary School in Oregon
New information:
- Dispatchers received 911 calls around 1 p.m. on Thursday, October 15, 2026, reporting shots fired into a car at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon.
- Bend Police spokeswoman Sheila Miller said children were among the injured but did not specify how many or their conditions.
- Police say multiple 911 calls reported a person entered the school and began shooting; officers arrived within minutes and the unidentified suspect was killed.
- Miller said there were multiple victims and at least two people were transported to a hospital, but she did not know their status at the time of her remarks.
- Hundreds of law-enforcement officers from agencies across central Oregon responded and went room by room to evacuate students and staff at the K-5 school, which enrolls about 400 students and employs about 40 staff.
10:16 PM
Multiple people, including children, killed in Oregon elementary school shooting
New information:
- CBS News, citing unnamed sources, reports that multiple people, including children, were killed in the October 15, 2026 shooting at an Oregon elementary school.
- The CBS segment states that the suspected shooter is dead, aligning with but independently confirming earlier reports of the shooter's death.
- Article reiterates that authorities are actively investigating the October 15, 2026 shooting at the elementary school in Oregon.