Bend, Ore. — Police released new details Friday of Thursday’s tragic shooting at Bend’s Silver Rail Elementary School, including the names of a teacher and one of three boys killed by the 16-year-old shooter who attended the school.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said the teen approached the school from a wooded area, threw a weapon over and scaled the fence.
That was witnessed by the driver of a red Toyota pickup who verbally confronted the teen — who fired on the pickup, hitting it at least three times.
The suspect then shot through the glass panes of the school’s exterior double-doors and entered a mixed-age special needs classrooms just to the left of the entrance. Officials said the suspect also was a special needs student, when he attended Silver Rail.
Once in the classroom, Krantz said the teen fired up to 15 rounds from a Maverick 88 12-gauge pump-action shotgun using birdshot, buckshot and slugs. About 44 more rounds of ammunition were found on the shooter and in a backpack.
A 36-year-old bystander, identified as Kaylub Giamanco, who has two daughters attending Silver Rail, spotted the shooter breaking in. He went and retrieved his legally secured .40-caliber pistol from his vehicle, went through the breached doors and shot the suspect several times while a teacher struggled with the teen.
Killed were three boys, ages 5, 8 and 11, and a 25-year-old teacher identified as Megan Lambert, as well as the suspect. Officers and medics tried life-saving care on one of the boys while the others were deceased when they arrived.
Officials identified the youngest victim as 5-year-old Rhoam Summer. They said the families of the other two children who died have requested privacy and that their names not be released.
Lambert, 25, was a graduate of Mountain View High School and Boise State.
The surviving child, a 7-year-old girl, was transferred to OHSU in Portland, Krantz said. The 54-year-old female teacher, later identified by officials as Becky Drury of Bend, is being treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries at St. Charles Bend.
Along with the bystander who “bravely stepped in to stop the suspect,” Krantz said, “I want to highlight another person whose heroic action we want to recognize.”
The police chief said another teacher who was in the classroom engaged with the suspect by throwing her cellphone, tackling him and fighting to take his gun.
“She was uninjured in that incident, but she almost certainly helped prevent more bloodshed,” Krantz said.
The 36-year-old armed bystander confronted the teen in the classroom, where officials confirmed no other students remained.
The suspect was identified as Griffin J. John II, a former Silver Rail student who was not currently enrolled in Bend-La Pine Schools.
Superintendent Steve Cook noted that school safety protocols follow the “I Love U Guys” standard response protocol, including twice-a-year lockdown drills and commercial locks that lock internally without going outside.
Cook also said the school resource officer for Silver Rail is shared by several schools and was at a nearby campus when the shooting occurred.
A major incident team of about 150 law enforcement and first responders from several local, state and federal agencies “have come to support us through this very difficult situation,” from a digital scan of the scene to a search warrant served at the suspect’s home, as well as witness and other Interviews.
A second walk-through of the school for evidence occurred Friday, but Krantz said, “Our team has not intended to relinquish the school crime scene until Tuesday of next week at the earliest, to ensure our search for evidence is complete.”
The FBI’s victim assistance advocates will work with the school district to help those who want to collect belongings from the unaffected areas of the school.
Cook said victims’ assistance is engaging with the families of students and staff.
“To all of our Silver Trail families, we are deeply committed to supporting you through every stage of this crisis,” he said.
“This event is a terrifying and traumatic experience that will affect us all profoundly for years to come,” he said. “I want to thank them for all their courage, for their support, and for their care for one another during this time.”
Cook also vowed: “Rest assured, we will take a hard look at everything that we have done, and what more needs to be done to ensure that our students, our staff and our families are safe in our schools.”
Deschutes County Health Services Director Holly Harris also spoke at the news conference, telling how “our community has responded with extraordinary compassion” to the tragic events
Bend Police Communications Manager Sheila Mlller read a message from the family of slain teacher Megan Lamberts, a native Central Oregon who grew up in Bend and had a passion for playing sports, as well as a volleyball coach.
“She loved Silver Rail. This was her dream job,” the family said. “She always fought for the underdogs and those with special needs. She was funny, opinionated, and she lit up the room.
This story is courtesy of our media partners at KTVZ News.
Barney Lerten
Barney Lerten has worked at KTVZ News for over 20 years, bringing a wealth of journalism experience and a deep commitment to keeping Central Oregonians informed and up to date, however they get their news.
