Pastors, community pray as teen kills 3 students, 1 teacher at Oregon school before he is shot dead

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Friday, October 16, 2026

Faith leaders in Bend, Oregon, banded together in a prayer vigil with scores of community members in Bend, Oregon, Thursday night just hours after a teenage gunman killed three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School before he was shot dead by a student’s father.

“Words cannot adequately express what we experienced today. And what we’ll experience in the days to come. We grieve with those that grieve. We weep with those that weep, but we do not grieve without hope. Evil is real. Darkness is real, but death does not get the final say,” Pastor Keith Kirkpatrick of Journey Church said in a video statement on Facebook Thursday night as families reunited with students in the aftermath of the shooting. 

“Jesus is our peace. Jesus is our hope, and Jesus is the light of the world that defeated darkness. So today we turn to Him. We trust in Him. And that’s who we pray to in times like this,” he said.

Bend Police Department said they first responded to a call about an active shooter at the school at 12:59 p.m. on Thursday. They were initially told that an unknown man had shot into a car, and they were on the scene by 1:02 p.m. Seconds after that, officers reported the suspect, later identified as a 16-year-old Bend resident, had been shot and killed, possibly by a bystander. Audio from police radio dispatch suggests the bystander was a student’s father, the New York Post reported. An NBC News report also identified the father as 36-year-old Kaylub Giamanco.

As of Friday morning, officials had not released the identities of any of the dead, but the children have been described as 5, 8, and 11 years old. A GoFundMe campaign identified the 5-year-old victim as a boy named Rhoam Summer.

The boy’s father, Kelik Summer, also confirmed his death in a Facebook statement.

“Today has been the worst day of my life. My son Rhoam was killed in a school shooting. We are broken and lost but are surrounded by friends and family who are keeping us safe,” he said in part.

In his message to the grieving families, Pastor Kirkpatrick prayed that they would be surrounded by “God’s supernatural comfort.

“First and foremost, I want to speak out to the families who lost loved ones. Our hearts are hurting with you. We're praying for you not just today, but in the days to come, for God’s supernatural comfort and peace to be with you,” he said.

Compass Church Bend lead pastor, Matthew Collins, said in a statement that many people who attended the prayer vigil were struggling to process the tragedy.

“Last night, I saw so many people gathered at the vigil in Drake Park. Some were hurting. Some were grieving. Some were angry. And some, like me, seemed to be struggling to make sense of something that simply doesn't make sense,” he said.

“When I received the call to come down to Drake Park and pray alongside other pastors in our community, I wasn't sure how I could help. I wasn't sure what I could say. But I knew I needed to be there. When I arrived, many pastors were already gathering. Some I knew, and others I didn't. But tragedy has a way of bringing people together, doesn't it?” he continued.

Collins offered comfort from several Scriptures and urged his church community to be present for those who need support.

“Church family, our hope is not found in understanding everything that happens around us. Our hope is found in knowing the One who has overcome the world. So today, let's pray. Let's mourn. Let's love our neighbors. Let's be present for those who are hurting,” he said. “And above all, let's cling to Jesus. Because even in the darkest valleys, He is still our hope.”