Kaylub Giamanco: Hero Dad Chased Oregon Gunman and Crawled Through Window Army-Style Before Shooting Him Dead

The father who fatally shot Oregon elementary school gunman Griffin J. John tracked down the teenage attacker and crawled army-style through a school window to stop the rampage, his mother revealed.

Kaylub Giamanco, whose two daughters attend Silver Rail Elementary School, was on his way home from a lunch break when he heard gunfire and spotted 16-year-old John entering the school at around 1 p.m. on Thursday. Giamanco’s mother, Kenda Freeman, told CBS News that her son acted without hesitation to stop the gunman and prevent him from claiming more lives. “Kaylub knew something was not right, so he pulled up onto the grass, grabbed his gun and basically stalked the gunman back into the school,” she told the outlet.

Act of Bravery

“He crawled through a window that the gunman had shot out. He army crawled through the window,” huis mother added.

In a frantic call to his mother moments after the shooting, Giamanco said: “Mom, I just shot and killed somebody. A man went into my daughters school and shot kids. And I looked at him point-blank, and I shot and killed him, Mom.”

John killed three students — 5-year-old Rhoam Summer, an 8-year-old and an 11-year-old — along with 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert.

Seven-year-old Saylor Graham and 54-year-old teacher Becky Drury were also critically wounded in the shooting.

Although Giamanco’s actions helped save lives, his mother said he remains deeply shaken by the fact that he could not rescue everyone.

“I told him he was a hero, he did what he had to do, and that he did the right thing, and that I was proud of him and that he was a hero and he saved a lot of lives,” Freeman said. “And he said, ‘Mom, I couldn’t save them all’.”

The grandmother, visibly emotional, also expressed gratitude that her grandchildren were safe while grieving for the families who lost loved ones.

“It’s tough because, well, I’m thankful that my babies are OK. There are babies that are not, and that’s hard to swallow because my heart goes out to those families that didn’t get to bring their babies home,” she said.

Just a Community Member?

Giamanco’s brother, Kyle, said he has no desire to discuss the shooting, as he continues to struggle with guilt over not being able to save more people. Giamanco legally owns and carries a firearm.

Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz confirmed that the shooting spree was stopped by “a community member who had seen the suspect enter the school and pursued him into the school and engaged him.”

Officers entered the building only afterward and confirmed that the gunman had been killed, Krantz said.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek praised Giamanco for stepping in to prevent further deaths.

“To the community member who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life, your actions carry a heavy emotional burden and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you,” she said.