Bend, Oregon - The "hero" who shot dead the suspected teenage gunman after he had already killed three children and a teacher at an elementary school was named Friday, as the mother of the suspect – who reportedly was a special needs student at the school in his younger years – tells reporters, "I'm sorry," while insisting her son was "a good boy."

Kaylub Giamanco raced into Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon, after the shooter, identified by local media as 16-year-old John J. Griffin II, blasted his way through locked doors and opened fire on children and teachers, killing four and wounding others.

Kyle Giamanco said his 36-year-old Kaylub, who has two children at the school, was driving home for his lunch break on Thursday when he heard gunshots and saw Griffin going into the special education room of the school.

Kaylub Giamanco has a permit to carry a concealed weapon, his brother told NBC, adding that Kaylub was having difficulty processing events at the moment and feels guilty that he did not save more people.

Murder Oregon school shooting: New details emerge about deadly attack on Silver Rail Elementary

A woman identified as Kaylub's mother told the local Fox affiliate she was "very proud" and that her son was "an absolute hero" before she read a prepared statement.

"He is not seeking recognition, but instead wishes to express his gratitude to the first responders, school personnel, and community for the outpouring of love and support," she said.

Griffin's neighbors told AFP they had seen his mother, identified by The New York Times as Shauntai May Nickerson, taken away from the house she shared with the suspect on Thursday afternoon in a police patrol car.

However, Nickerson was seen on Friday smoking a cigarette on the porch outside of her apartment and crying.

"If I could have prevented this, I would have," a tearful Nickerson said, according to The New York Times.

The 16-year-old suspect was not enrolled in the local public school system at the time of the rampage, said Steven Cook, Bend La-Pine Schools Superintendent.

"That classroom was a special needs classroom, and the suspect was a special needs student in that school," he said during a press conference.

President Donald Trump hailed Kaylub Giamanco as a "great hero."

"As bad as it was, we had a great hero that went in and did the business," Trump told journalists. "It's a terrible thing, but thank goodness for a man that had a gun and knew how to use it."