A teacher in the Oregon classroom where a shooter killed three children and an adult threw her cellphone at the shooter, tackled him and fought him in an act that saved lives, police said on Friday. A day into their investigation of the latest US school shooting, authorities released new details of the scene inside a special needs classroom of Silver Rail Elementary School where three school children aged 5, 8 and 11 and a teacher were killed by a 16-year-old former student.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz did not identify the teacher who fought the assailant, but told a press conference she threw her cell phone at the suspect, tackled him and fought to take his shotgun from him. "She was not injured in that incident, but she almost certainly helped prevent more bloodshed," Krantz said.
As the two wrestled, a parent entered the classroom and opened fire on the gunman, killing him. Officials said the parent had followed the shooter into the school upon witnessing him firing a shotgun from just outside campus.
By the time police arrived within 3 minutes of receiving their first call, the shooter was dead, police said. In the meantime, the 16-year-old assailant, who had shot through locked glass doors to enter campus, had killed 4 people and wounded 2 others.
Krantz, speaking to the heroism shown by the teacher who threw herself onto the suspect and the parent who shot him, said, "I don't think we can underestimate or underappreciate that courage. When someone is willing to risk their own life for others, we recognise that."
He said that the bystander's actions "undoubtedly saved people," and "the teacher who was willing to stand and fight for her children, that's true heroism." Krantz identified the shooter as Griffin J. John II, who was armed with a 12-gauge shotgun.
He fired about 15 rounds in the classroom and had another 44 rounds on him. The parent who killed the shooter was identified as Kaylub Giamanco, his mother told the New York Times.
She identified him as the father of two girls who attend the school. "He is not seeking recognition, but instead wishes to express his gratitude to the first responders, school personnel, and community for the outpouring of love and support," a family representative said.
"Kaylub's family, including his two daughters who attend the school, respectfully asks for privacy during this difficult time," the representative added. Residents of Bend, a city of about 100,000 people, gathered near the school to mourn on Friday morning, placing flowers and candles just outside the crime scene tape.
"Thank God for that father. He saved a lot of lives yesterday," said Michael Zappa, 71, a local resident.
Brooke Olsen, the mother of a kindergartener who was safely reunited with her family, also expressed gratitude for the man who stopped the shooter. Such school shootings have become common in the US, with each incident reigniting debates over gun control.
Authorities are continuing their comprehensive review of the campus security measures and the response times of various emergency services. Community leaders have called for enhanced mental health support systems and stricter preventive protocols across educational institutions nationwide to safeguard students and teachers effectively.