The shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon

The community held a vigil at Drake Park that night,^[4][5] and thousands gathered to mourn. Oregon's governor told them, "On behalf of everyone who lives in Oregon, I am so sorry for what you are experiencing today."^[2] Rep. Janelle Bynum, an Oregon Democrat, said, "They're killing our babies. Shredding our kids with lead."^[6] Oregon's political leaders sent words of solace.^[1] The county health department, the local hospital system and the school district held free crisis support sessions the next day,^[7] and Bend-area high school games were canceled.^[8]

The man who stopped the gunman, Kaylub Giamanco, a 36-year-old father of two, had heard the shots while driving home for lunch and followed the shooter inside. He was praised as a hero, including by President Donald Trump. He became the latest armed civilian to confront a gunman in a US mass shooting.^[9][10][11] Police said the shooter's mother had bought the shotgun he used, and calls for accountability in Bend ran up against the limits of Oregon's gun laws.^[12] Speaking publicly for the first time, Giamanco said he was haunted by the children he could not save.^[13][13] Becky Drury, a teacher wounded in the attack on a special education classroom, said she had no chance to protect the children and survived by playing dead,^[14][14] and students across Bend-La Pine Schools returned to class as the investigation continued.^[15] In late October, the teaching assistant who threw a cellphone at the gunman and tried to take his gun was identified publicly,^[16] and on November 3 authorities released the 911 call of the man who shot him.^[17]