Father of Two Daughters Who Shot Dead U.S. Elementary School Gunman: "I Should Have Saved More"

4 killed, including children, in mass shooting
"Some children I couldn't save... I want to apologize to the parents"

On October 15 (local time), a mass shooting at an elementary school in Oregon, United States, left several people, including children, dead or injured. A man in his 30s, the father of two daughters, rushed into the scene and shot and killed the gunman, preventing further casualties. He was hailed as a "hero" in American society, but said he was struggling with guilt.

On October 24 (local time), U.S. media outlets including NBC News and ABC 7 reported the story of Caleb Giamanco, 36, who stopped the gunman at the Oregon elementary school. Giamanco, an ordinary American carpenter with two daughters, used a handgun to subdue and kill Griffin J. John, 16, who had opened fire at Silver Rail Elementary School on October 15.

John's shooting killed four people: three children, aged 5, 8 and 11, and one teacher. Another student was left in critical condition, and a teacher was also injured and taken to the hospital for treatment.

A teenager lays flowers at Silver Rail Elementary School in Oregon, where a mass shooting took place. AFP-Yonhap \(\)

On the day of the shooting, Giamanco dropped his two daughters off at school and then headed to work. But while returning home for lunch, he saw a man dressed in black and carrying a gun near the school. It was John, the gunman. John shot at a man mowing the lawn near the school, then climbed over a fence and entered the school.

After witnessing this, Giamanco called 911 and then pursued John with his own handgun. In interviews with local media, he recalled that the closer he got to the scene, the more clearly he could hear gunshots and children's screams. "I could hear the children, and then I heard gunshots," Giamanco said. "I crawled faster and faster. I thought this might be the last thing I ever do."

Giamanco opened a classroom door, entered, and fired at the gunman. Another teacher in the classroom also struggled with John, throwing a cellphone at him, among other things. When John fell and tried to grab his gun again, Giamanco fired two more shots and subdued him. "I felt like I was the last line of defense between the gunman and the other children," he said.

Police who arrived at the scene said Giamanco was a law-abiding gun owner and that his courage had helped save several lives. The local community also hailed him as a "hero." But Giamanco said he felt guilty, saying, "I want to apologize to the parents for not saving more children. I'm grateful for the children I saved, but there were children I couldn't save."

John, the gunman, was reportedly a graduate of the elementary school. Investigators determined that the gun he used in the attack had been purchased by his mother. Local police are investigating John's specific motive and his relationship with the victims.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.