The mother of an Oregon man who has been hailed a hero for shooting dead an elementary school gunman said her son called her afterward, lamenting over the fact he couldn't save more people.
Kenda Freeman received a call from her son, Kaylub Giamanco, 36, on Thursday immediately after the father-of-two had shot Griffin John II, 16, dead inside the Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon.
'He said: "Mom, I just shot and killed somebody,"' she recalled to CBS Sacramento. 'I said: "Kaylub, tell me about it."
'He said: "A man went into my daughter's school and shot kids," and he said, "And I looked at him point-blank, and I shot and killed him, Mom."'
The Bend community has hailed Giamanco a hero, crediting him with saving dozens of children's lives on Thursday.
'I told him he was a hero, he did what he had to do, and that he did the right thing, and that I was proud of him and that he was a hero and he saved a lot of lives,' Freeman told the outlet.
'And he said: "Mom, I couldn't save them all."'
John killed three students, including five-year-old Rhoam Summer, and teacher Meghan Lambert, 25, before Giamanco killed him. John also injured Saylor Graham, seven, and educational assistant Becky Drury.
Kaylub Giamanco, 36, killed school shooter, Griffin John II, on Thursday while he shot at children at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon
Giamanco's mom, Kenda Freeman, received a phone call immediately afterward, where he admitted he killed the shooter. She has dubbed her son a hero
The experience traumatized Giamanco, who lies awake at night thinking how he could have done it differently, his mother said.
Giamanco noticed John while the dad was driving home on his lunch break and knew something was wrong.
He army-crawled through the window the shooter had shot out to gain access to the school his children attended.
Police said John fired off 15 rounds before he was killed by Giamanco. He targeted the special needs classroom, where he was once a student.
John used a gun his mother had purchased around his 16th birthday in August. Law enforcement remained unsure as to how John obtained his ammunition, saying the investigation was 'very active.'
His motive is currently unknown.
As for Giamanco, he holds a concealed carry license.
Giamanco is a carpenter and a father of two girls, ages five and 10, who attend Silver Rail Elementary, his brother told NBC News.
'I looked at him point-blank, and I shot and killed him, Mom,"' his mother recalled him saying. Giamanco's children attend the school
Giamanco is struggling to accept that he couldn't save all the children and were traumatized by the experience, his mother said
Griffin John II, 16, killed three students and one teacher on Thursday
Three students – ages five, eight and 11 – and one teacher were killed by the former student. The five-year-old was identified by his father as Rhoam Summer. The teacher was Meghan Lambert, 25. Saylor Graham, seven, was shot in the face, but lived
President Donald Trump praised Giamanco for stopping the Oregon school shooting.
'Well, I'll tell you what, there was a great hero. It could have been worse, as bad as it was. We had a great hero that went in and did the business,' Trump told reporters outside of the White House on Friday.
'He took care of business, and thank God we had him. Otherwise, it would have been much worse. It's a terrible thing, but thank goodness for a man that had a gun and knew how to use it.'
During a press conference on Thursday, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek called Giamanco a hero.
'To the community member who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life: Your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you as well,' Kotek said.
A GoFundMe has been set up for Giamanco to help pay for therapy, any legal expenses he may face, and to support him while he takes time off work following the tragedy. The fundraiser has garnered nearly $280,000 by Saturday afternoon.
'Kaylub, his wife Kelsey, and their two young daughters have an incredibly difficult road ahead of them,' the fundraiser stated.
'The emotional and psychological impact of this tragedy cannot be overstated, and they deserve the time, space and resources to begin healing together.'