Kaylub Giamanco is the father who stopped a school shooter in Bend, Oregon, a week ago. The teenage gunman entered the school and killed three students and a teacher before Giamanco arrested him. In a new interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting, Giamanco describes the moments leading up to his heroic actions, how he felt after shooting the shooter and the biggest tragedy of that day.
Geoff Bennett:
There’s a new interview today with the first detailed comments from the man who stopped a school shooter in Bend, Oregon, a week ago. Three students and a teacher were killed before the suspect was shot dead by a father who has his own children at Silver Rail Elementary School.
This man’s name is Kaylub Giamanco, who is a carpenter. He told Oregon Public Broadcasting in this exclusive interview that he was on his way home to lunch and was walking past the school when he saw the shooter carrying a shotgun.
Kaylub Giamanco, shooter arrested at school:
And then I walked out to the parking lot, and I saw him running through the whole school, and I was completely freaked out. No, there are children, there are babies in there.
And I told my Siri to call 911. And dispatch picked up. And I reported the incident. But she asked questions that frustrated me, and I understand that there is a protocol, but she asked me: do I know the person, all these things.
And I said, “I’m sorry. I have to go in. People are going to die.”
And then I looked out the window and at that moment I found my opportunity and I saw a teacher on the left fighting with the shooter on the right with the rifle. And I knew they were both by my side, and I knew he didn’t know I was there. And so at that point, I opened the door and walked in and fired.
And they fell to the ground, and the teacher jumped out of the building, thinking I was a second shooter, and I could see the fear in his eyes, and it hurt a lot. But I could see the fear in his eyes. She left the room, and this happens in seconds.
And then I looked at the shooter, and he was reaching for his gun. I looked at him and shot him two more times to make sure he couldn’t move, because I was afraid he would shoot someone else.
Geoff Bennett:
Giamanco also spoke about how he felt after shooting the shooter and the biggest tragedy of that day.
Kaylub Giamanco:
I felt like I was having a heart attack almost all the time. I have never had so much chest pain. I mean, I can’t tell you what it’s like to take a life. It’s definitely not – it’s not how I thought my Thursday was going to go.
But I can tell you that I really feel like I was meant to be there. And if I wasn’t there, I just don’t know what would have happened. The teacher who was struggling with the gun against the shooter, I just want to — I want to recognize her. She gave me the opportunity to make my shot without losing my life.
I saw a clear picture of where I didn’t have to take his life. Without her and this little unforeseen delay, I really feel like I would have been facing the shooter head on, and we could have both died, or I could have died, and I felt like I was the last line of defense between me and the rest of the kids at school.
I don’t know his name. I would like to know his name. I would love to hug him because he is a true hero for not having a gun and putting himself between his babies and a gun. It’s a lot, you know?
I really wanted to talk with the families and the victims, just cry with them and hug them. I want to apologize for not saving their babies. That’s probably the most important thing for me right now, because the gratitude for saving people’s children is incredible, but there are some that I didn’t save, and that’s probably the hardest thing for me right now.
Geoff Bennett:
Thanks again to our colleagues at Oregon Public Broadcasting for this interview.
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