A chilling emergency call has revealed the terrifying moments before an Oregon father rushed into his daughters’ elementary school and stopped a deadly shooting attack.
The 78-second recording captures 36-year-old Kaylub Giamanco desperately warning a 911 dispatcher that an armed teenager was entering Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon.
The recording was released by Deschutes County on November 3, nearly three weeks after the October 15 shooting.
Giamanco’s two daughters were inside the school when he spotted the armed teenager. Realizing the danger, he called emergency services before rushing toward the building.
His intervention ultimately ended the attack, but the tragedy had already claimed the lives of three children and a teacher.
‘Someone’s at My Daughter’s School With a Gun’
The recording begins with Giamanco sounding frightened and overwhelmed.
“Oh my God! Someone’s at the school, at my daughter’s school with a gun,” he tells the dispatcher.
He then warns that he is armed and prepared to defend the children if necessary.
“I have a gun, and I will shoot them right now if I have to,” he says.
The dispatcher urges him not to take action and tells him to provide more information so officers can respond.
But Giamanco repeatedly shouts the school’s name, trying to make the emergency clear.
“Silver Rail Elementary! Silver Rail Elementary!”
He then tells the dispatcher that the armed teenager is entering the building.
‘They’re Shooting People!’
As the emergency call continues, Giamanco becomes increasingly desperate.
The dispatcher asks where the suspect is located inside the school.
Giamanco responds that the attacker is entering from the south side.
He then urgently warns:
“God damn it, they’re shooting people! Come on!”
When the dispatcher asks whether the suspect is actually firing the weapon, Giamanco answers:
“Yeah, he’s shooting.”
The dispatcher continues trying to gather identifying information and tells him that help is on the way.
However, Giamanco’s side of the recording eventually goes silent.
According to his earlier interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting, he ended the call because he believed people inside the school were in immediate danger.
The released audio does not capture every word of the conversation, and some portions are difficult to understand.
Father Runs Into the School
Giamanco had been driving home for lunch when he noticed the armed teenager near the school.
His daughters were students at Silver Rail Elementary, and he realized they could be in danger.
He retrieved a handgun from his vehicle and followed the attacker toward the building.
He later described being in a state of complete panic as he approached the school.
Inside, he encountered a teacher struggling with the gunman in a special-education classroom.
Giamanco said the teacher’s actions had already disrupted the attack and created an opportunity for him to intervene.
He then fired his handgun, fatally shooting the 16-year-old attacker.
Police later credited his actions with helping stop the violence and potentially preventing additional deaths.
Teacher Cassidy Schutz Also Confronted the Gunman
The father was not the only person who confronted the attacker.
Teacher Cassidy Schutz tackled the teenager and struggled to gain control of his shotgun.
Her actions were crucial in disrupting the shooting and creating an opportunity for Giamanco to intervene.
Giamanco later praised the teacher, saying her confrontation with the attacker gave him the opportunity to stop the threat.
Their combined actions helped bring the attack to an end.
Four People Killed in the School Shooting
The shooting left a devastating impact on the Silver Rail Elementary community.
Three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, were killed alongside 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert.
A seven-year-old student and educational assistant Becky Drury were also seriously wounded but survived.
The attacker was identified as 16-year-old Griffin J. John II. He died after being shot by Giamanco.
The incident has left families, students and teachers struggling to cope with the loss.
‘People Are Going to Die’
In an earlier interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting, Giamanco described the moments when he decided to enter the school.
He recalled telling the dispatcher:
“I’m sorry, I have to go in. People are going to die.”
Although those exact words are not audible in the newly released recording, Giamanco previously described saying them before ending the call.
He has also spoken about the emotional impact of the attack and the difficulty of remembering the children he could not save.
Despite being praised as a hero, he has expressed sadness over the lives lost.
Why the 911 Recording Matters
The release of the emergency call provides a rare real-time account of a parent witnessing an active school shooting and trying to communicate the danger to emergency services.
It also reveals the difficulty dispatchers face when callers are frightened, moving toward danger and struggling to provide clear information.
The recording has renewed attention on school safety, emergency response and the people who intervene during violent attacks.
Authorities have credited both Giamanco and Cassidy Schutz for helping stop the shooter.
A Community Still Recovering
Silver Rail Elementary and the wider Bend community continue to deal with the aftermath of the tragedy.
Families are mourning the children and teacher who died, while survivors and witnesses face the difficult process of recovering from the attack.
For Giamanco, the recording captures a moment when his greatest fear became reality: an armed attacker was inside the school where his daughters were learning.
His decision to intervene helped stop the shooting, but the loss of four lives remains a painful reminder of the devastating consequences of school violence.
Sources: Associated Press, Oregon Public Broadcasting, CBS News, KTVZ and Deschutes County 911.
This article reflects reporting available through November 5, 2026. The 911 recording was released on November 3. The attack occurred on October 15, 2026.
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