Three children, ages 5, 8 and 11, and one teacher were killed Thursday at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, after a 16-year-old dropped a shotgun over a fence, climbed over it, and entered the building. Police say the teen used a Maverick 88 compact shotgun purchased by his mother, and his parents told investigators he had attended the school. A 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher remain in critical condition at a Bend hospital.
The violence ended when Kaylub Giamanco, a father of two students at the school, followed the shooter inside and killed him. President Trump praised Giamanco as a hero, and Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek ordered flags at half-staff Friday. Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Steven Cook canceled all classes, sports and activities for the day as the community begins to grieve.
For families here on the Suncoast, the story raises questions that don’t stay in Oregon: how secure are our own schools, and how do kids get access to firearms inside their own homes? We want to hear from you. Does a story like this change how you think about school safety in Sarasota, Manatee or Charlotte County?
