Story perspectives

Heroic student tackled classroom shooter with gunfire, officials say

By Drooid · Oct 24, 2026, 10:14 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

John Opens Fire

Former special-needs student Griffin J. John II opened fire with a Mossberg Maverick 88 shotgun in a classroom.
Teacher Becky Drury survived a shotgun blast that nearly severed her left hand.
She is recovering after surgery.
The shooter’s mother bought the Mossberg Maverick 88 for his birthday and refused to explain its acquisition.
Oregon’s tightest special-education funding limits are prompting families to question school safety safeguards.

Summary

Giamanco Stops Shooter

Carpenter Kaylub Giamanco entered Silver Rail Elementary and shot shooter Griffin J. John II.
He crawled through a broken window and fired his .40-caliber handgun at the gunman.
After the shooter fell, Giamanco shot him twice more to prevent movement.
He dropped his weapon, raised his hands and called his wife and mother.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and Police Chief Mike Krantz praised Giamanco’s actions as heroic and life-saving.

History

Historical Context

The Columbine High School massacre on April 20 1999 shocked the nation, leaving 13 students dead and sparking nationwide school-security reforms. Federal investigators, led by the FBI’s Robert Miller, reported that the shooters used two .22-caliber rifles and a 12-gauge shotgun, costing roughly $1,200 total. Similarly, in 2024 Oregon’s Silver Rail Elementary, Griffin J. John II used a Mossberg 88 shotgun bought by his mother, while carpenter Kaylub Giamanco stopped shooter. Tragedies show that easy gun access and reforms sustain violence cycles, urging Congress to revisit the expired 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, a 10-year measure.

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John Opens Fire

Former special-needs student Griffin J. John II opened fire with a Mossberg Maverick 88 shotgun in a classroom.
Teacher Becky Drury survived a shotgun blast that nearly severed her left hand.
She is recovering after surgery.
The shooter’s mother bought the Mossberg Maverick 88 for his birthday and refused to explain its acquisition.
Oregon’s tightest special-education funding limits are prompting families to question school safety safeguards.

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