A father who rushed into action after a teenage gunman entered his daughters’ elementary school was heard desperately calling 911 for help.
Kaylub Giamanco, 36, later shot Griffin John II, 16, dead after the teenager killed three children with special needs and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, on October 15.
Giamanco had previously recalled that he was driving home from lunch when he saw John firing at a red vehicle ahead of him. The teenager then threw his rifle over a fence and moved toward the school.
After witnessing the attack, Giamanco took his handgun from the center console, loaded the magazine and called 911.
As soon as the dispatcher answered, newly released audio captured the father of two saying: “Oh my God.”
“Someone’s at the school, at my daughters’ school with a gun,” he said. “I have a gun and I will shoot them right now if I have to.”
The dispatcher urged Giamanco not to intervene and instructed him to wait for police.
But Giamanco continued speaking over the dispatcher as his frustration and fear grew.
“This is my daughters’ school,” he shouted, before adding: “I’m about to go kill this kid.”
Kaylub Giamanco, 36, made a frantic 911 call after seeing a gunman enter his daughters’ school on October 15
Griffin John II, 16, opened fire at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, before Giamanco shot him dead
The father of two crawled through an open window to confront the gunman
The dispatcher kept Giamanco on the line, asking about the suspect’s race and whether he had entered the school.
Giamanco confirmed that the gunman was inside the elementary school and said he could hear shots being fired.
“God d*** it, they’re f***ing shooting people,” he said.
The dispatcher continued seeking information and told him that “we have help en route.”
By then, however, Giamanco had stopped speaking with the sheriff’s office and was running toward the building.
Inside, a teacher attempted to stop John by throwing her phone at him, tackling him and struggling to take control of his rifle, KATU reports.
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Giamanco then entered through an open window, made his way to the special needs classroom and fired his weapon, bringing the shooter down.
During the 911 call, Giamanco told the dispatcher that his daughters were inside the school. Source: Facebook
Giamanco later described the teacher, certified learning specialist Cassidy Schutz, as a “real hero,” saying her actions created the opportunity for him to shoot the attacker.
Schutz said in a statement last week that she could not find words to express the depth of her sadness.
“This is not a story. This is a horrific and heartbreaking tragedy and it is our real lives,” she said. “My thoughts are with those who were lost, their families, those who were hurt and those who were there that day. My heart is with you.”
She said her attention was focused on the families, the school “and my own healing.”
A second teacher in the classroom, Becky Drury, previously said she had no opportunity to shelter the children when John entered.
Drury said she attempted to close the door behind her, but John had already reached the room.
“Before I could do anything more, he shot me at close range, and I fell to the ground,” Drury recalled.
She was shot in her left hand and right arm. Unable to stand, Drury said she pretended to be dead in the hope that John would not fire at her again.
Certified learning specialist Cassidy Schutz threw her phone at John and tackled him while attempting to wrestle the rifle from his hands
Five-year-old Rhoam Summer and teacher Megan Lambert were among those killed in the shooting
Seven-year-old Saylor Graham was also injured. Five-year-old Rhoam Summer and teacher Megan Lambert were killed, along with two other students who have not been publicly identified.
The motive for the attack remains unknown. John had previously attended the school and had reportedly been bullied at times.
He came from a troubled family background and had been assaulted at least twice.
John used a firearm purchased by his mother around his 16th birthday in August. Investigators remain uncertain how he obtained the ammunition and have described the case as “very active.”
Giamanco has a concealed-carry license, which he holds to protect his family.