A 16-year-old identified as Griffin J. John II jumped a fence at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday and opened fire, killing four people inside one classroom: children ages 5, 8 and 11, and a teacher. A 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher were taken to a Bend hospital in critical condition. Police say all families have been notified, and officers arrived at 1:02 p.m., just three minutes after the first 911 call.
According to police, a teacher confronted the shooter by throwing her phone and tackling him, and parent Kaylub Giamanco, 36, who had a legally stored handgun in his car, followed the suspect inside and shot him. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz and Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook both credited the two for intervening and saving lives. Investigators are still working to determine how John obtained a 12-gauge shotgun and three types of ammunition.
For families along the Suncoast, the story raises familiar questions. Bend schools dealt with a gun incident back in 2024, and school safety conversations have echoed through Florida districts for years. Do you know your child’s or grandchild’s campus safety plan, and when was it last explained to you? Tell us in the comments.
