OREGON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOOTING CLAIMS LIVES OF THREE CHILDREN AND BELOVED TEACHER AS NEW DETAILS EMERGE

730 BOOM RADIO | NATIONAL NEWS

October 19, 2026

BEND, OREGON | A community is grieving after a devastating shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School on Thursday, October 15, left three young children and a special education teacher dead, with two others injured.

The victims included three boys, ages 5, 8 and 11, and 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert, who had recently begun working at the school.

A 7-year-old girl and 54-year-old educational assistant Becky Drury were also wounded.

Authorities identified the suspected gunman as Griffin J. John II, 16, a former student who previously attended the school's special education program.

The teenager was fatally shot by an armed parent who intervened during the attack.

As families prepare to bury their loved ones, investigators are working to determine how the teenager obtained his weapon, why he targeted the school, and whether additional safeguards could have prevented the tragedy.

HOW THE SHOOTING UNFOLDED

According to Bend Police, the attack began shortly before 1 p.m. when the teenager approached school property carrying a shotgun.

Investigators say he threw the weapon over a fence before climbing onto school grounds.

A driver who witnessed the suspicious activity confronted him. The teenager fired multiple shots at the driver's pickup truck, striking it at least three times.

The driver escaped and called 911.

The gunman then approached the school building and fired through the glass of locked exterior doors to gain entry.

Once inside, he immediately entered a special education classroom near the entrance and opened fire.

Police say the attack lasted approximately three minutes.

Officers arrived within minutes of receiving the initial emergency call, but four victims had already been killed.

THREE CHILDREN AND A TEACHER KILLED

Among the youngest victims was Rhoam Summer, just 5 years old.

His family remembered him as a loving, imaginative child who enjoyed rainbows, unicorns, dinosaurs, sharks, dancing and creating art.

He had been looking forward to visiting a pumpkin patch, learning to ride horses, playing a musical instrument and dressing as a bunny for Halloween.

His parents, Kelik and Lillian Summer, have described their heartbreak while asking the community to honor their son's memory through creativity and kindness.

The other two children killed were boys, ages 8 and 11. Their families have requested that their identities remain private.

Also killed was Megan Lambert, 25, a special education teacher who grew up in Bend.

Lambert graduated from Mountain View High School in 2019 and Boise State University in 2023.

Her family said teaching at Silver Rail Elementary was her dream job.

She had only recently joined the school, but her dedication to children with special educational needs had already made an impression on those around her.

TWO MORE VICTIMS INJURED

The shooting also injured a 7-year-old girl and Becky Drury, 54, an inclusion educational assistant.

Both received hospital treatment following the attack.

Police subsequently reported that the injured child was in serious but stable condition and that Drury's injuries were serious but not life-threatening.

School officials have expressed gratitude for the educators who attempted to protect students during the shooting.

TEACHER FIGHTS BACK AS PARENT INTERVENES

One of the most extraordinary details to emerge involves the actions of a teacher who confronted the gunman.

According to investigators, the educator threw her cellphone at the teenager before physically struggling with him for control of the shotgun.

Authorities believe her actions helped interrupt the attack.

Meanwhile, Kaylub Giamanco, 36, a father whose children attend Silver Rail Elementary, witnessed the violence outside the school.

Police say Giamanco retrieved a legally owned handgun from his vehicle and entered the building.

He confronted the teenager and fired several shots, fatally wounding him.

Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz credited the teacher and Giamanco with actions that likely prevented additional deaths.

Their intervention has drawn widespread recognition as the community mourns.

HOW DID A 16-YEAR-OLD OBTAIN THE SHOTGUN?

Investigators identified the weapon used in the shooting as a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun.

Authorities are examining how the teenager obtained it and whether any laws were violated.

A law enforcement official familiar with the investigation reportedly indicated that the firearm had been purchased by the suspect's mother.

However, investigators have not publicly announced criminal charges against her.

Under Oregon law, minors may possess certain firearms, including shotguns, under specific circumstances involving parental consent.

The legality of the firearm's purchase, storage and transfer remains part of the investigation.

Police have also searched the suspect's family residence and examined electronic devices for possible evidence of planning or motive.

As of October 19, authorities had not publicly established why the teenager carried out the attack.

FAMILY OF FIVE-YEAR-OLD VICTIM LAUNCHES INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION

The parents of Rhoam Summer have retained attorneys to investigate the circumstances surrounding their son's death.

Their inquiry will examine school security procedures, emergency response planning and how the teenager obtained the firearm.

Attorneys representing the family have also raised questions about whether the school district's existing safety measures were sufficient.

Silver Rail Elementary had security cameras, locked entrances, fencing and established lockdown procedures.

Despite those precautions, the attacker was able to enter by shooting through the glass doors.

School officials have pledged to review their security practices and determine what additional measures may be necessary.

The family's independent investigation is separate from the ongoing criminal investigation.

SCHOOL COMMUNITY STRUGGLES TO RECOVER

The shooting has devastated Bend, a central Oregon city of approximately 100,000 residents.

Hundreds gathered for vigils and memorials following the tragedy.

Flowers, candles, stuffed animals and handwritten messages have been placed outside the school.

The Bend-La Pine School District suspended classes following the attack and began providing crisis counseling for students, employees and families.

Silver Rail Elementary remains closed while officials evaluate the building and determine how the school community can safely move forward.

For many parents, the tragedy has shattered the sense of security they once associated with sending their children to school.

LADY RED'S TAKE: FIVE YEARS OLD. EIGHT YEARS OLD. ELEVEN YEARS OLD.

Five. Eight. Eleven.

I want everybody to really think about those ages.

These were children who should have been worrying about homework, cartoons, Halloween costumes and what they wanted for dinner.

Instead, their families are preparing to bury them.

And a 25-year-old teacher who had just started her dream job will never return to the classroom.

What makes this even more heartbreaking is that the attack happened in a special education classroom.

These were children who deserved additional care, support and protection.

Now their families are living through something no parent should ever experience.

And while I recognize the tremendous courage of the teacher who fought the attacker and the father who intervened, we have to ask ourselves something.

Why does protecting elementary school children keep coming down to someone risking their own life to stop a gunman?

This school reportedly had locked doors, security cameras, fencing and lockdown procedures.

Yet a teenager with a shotgun still managed to get inside.

So I want answers.

How did he get the gun?

Were there warning signs?

Could anyone have intervened before he reached the school?

And what changes are going to be made so another family doesn't have to endure this nightmare?

Those questions deserve serious investigation, not speculation or political finger-pointing.

We cannot bring these children or their teacher back.

But we can demand that their deaths lead to meaningful accountability and stronger protections.

Children should be able to go to school, learn, laugh and come home alive. That should never be too much to ask.

INVESTIGATION REMAINS ACTIVE

Bend Police, the FBI and other agencies continue investigating the October 15 shooting.

Authorities are reviewing the suspect's background, the firearm's origin, the events leading up to the attack and the school's emergency response.

Meanwhile, the families of the victims are seeking answers, the injured continue recovering, and an entire community is confronting the emotional aftermath.

The tragedy has renewed national discussions about school security, firearm access, and the protection of students with disabilities.

For now, Bend mourns four lives lost far too soon.

May the children and Megan Lambert rest in peace, and may their families find strength and support during an unimaginable time.

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