Family 'broken and lost' after five-year-old boy killed in Oregon school shooting

The family of a five-year-old boy killed in a school shooting in Oregon say they are "broken and lost".

Rhoam Summer was among four people who died in the attack at Silver Rail Elementary School in the city of Bend on Thursday.

The other victims were two children aged eight and 11, and a teacher.

The suspect, named by law enforcement as 16-year-old Griffin J John, was killed by a bystander.

John was a special needs student at the school, according to police.

He was armed with a long gun and gained access to the school by shooting through locked doors, reports Sky News' US partner network NBC News.

Rhoam Summer's mother, Kelik Summer, described Thursday as "the worst day of my life".

She said on Facebook: "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."

A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the family grieving for the loss of the "sweet" victim.

The page read: "In the wake of an unimaginable tragedy, the Summer family is grieving the heartbreaking loss of their sweet 5-year-old son, Rhoam.

"There are no words that can ease the pain of losing a child, and no family should ever have to experience a loss like this.

"As they navigate the days and weeks ahead, we want to come together as a community to surround them with love, compassion, and support.

"We've created this GoFundMe to help ease the burden of everyday responsibilities so they can focus on being together, grieving, and taking things one day at a time."

More from Sky News:
Wildlife Park reopens after deadly tiger attack
Teenage hitman who flew to UK is jailed

It has also emerged that the person who killed the gunman, Kaylub Giamanco, is the father of two girls who attend Silver Rail Elementary.

His brother, Kyle Giamanco, confirmed his sibling was not picking his children up from the school at the time.

Instead, he was driving home from his lunch break when he heard gunshots and saw the gunman enter the school.

He is said to have parked his car, taken a .40-calibre pistol with him and followed the attacker inside the school where he shot him several times.

Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz has also said that a teacher threw her phone at the teenage gunman before tackling and fighting with him.

He said that the "heroic" action likely saved lives, and said she was not injured.

In 2020 in an interview with local news station KTVZ, John's mother, Shauntai Nickerson, identified her then 10-year-old son as a participant in a special needs programme run by the school district.

It was called NEST, for Nurturing Empathy, Safety and Trust, and aimed at helping students experiencing intensive behavioural and social skill challenges.

Ms Nickerson also said he struggled trying to learn from home during the pandemic.

(c) Sky News 2026: Family 'broken and lost' after five-year-old boy killed in Oregon school shooting