Silver Rail teacher who fought shooter releases first public statement

Cassidy Schutz, a certified learning specialist at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, released her first public statement on Friday through the Bend-La Pine Schools district. The statement marks the first time she has spoken since she physically engaged the school’s attacker during the Oct. 15 shooting.

Schutz described the emotional weight of the event in her written remarks. “There are no words to describe the depth of sadness I am feeling following the events of October 15th,” she wrote. “This is not a story. This is a horrific and heartbreaking tragedy, and it is our real lives.”

She addressed the community directly, directing her thoughts toward the victims and their families. “My thoughts are with those who were lost, their families, those who were hurt, and those who were there that day,” Schutz said. “My heart is with you.”

Schutz emphasized the rapid nature of the violence. “It all happened so fast, and I wish with everything in me that we had more time,” she stated. She acknowledged the lasting impact of the loss, noting, “The pain of this loss I will carry with me forever.”

The teacher asked the public to support her recovery by granting her space. “My focus is on these families, our team, our school, and my own healing,” she wrote. “As I continue to navigate this, I ask that you please give me the time, space, and privacy I need to heal.” She concluded by saying she would not make additional public statements at this time.

Police previously detailed how Schutz’s actions created an opening for a bystander to end the attack. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz described her efforts as heroic, recounting how she threw her cell phone at the shooter and tackled him. That struggle allowed 36-year-old Kaylub Giamanco to fatally shoot the 16-year-old attacker. Giamanco, who interviewed with OPB on Oct. 23, credited Schutz with giving him the chance to make his shot.

The attack killed three students and a teacher, Megan Lambert, who was honored at a memorial service earlier this week. Another staff member, teaching assistant Becky Drury, remains in recovery. Her husband, Will, posted on her GoFundMe page this week, thanking donors for their generosity and expressing hope that her recent reconstructive surgery would be her final one.