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Oregon college shootings: witnesses recall horror as Obama calls for action Oregon shootings: cache of weapons discovered at gunman's apartment
(about 5 hours later)
Harrowing details have begun to emerge after at least nine people were killed at an Oregon community college by a gunman who witnesses said had demanded to know students’ religion before shooting them. A cache of weapons has been discovered at the apartment of a gunman who opened fire on a writing class at a community college in rural Oregon on Thursday, it has been reported, killing at least nine people and injuring seven in what was the deadliest mass shooting in the state’s history.
A visibly frustrated Barack Obama reacted to the 45th school shooting to take place in the US this year by telling Americans that “somehow this has become routine”. Related: Oregon shootings: cache of weapons discovered at gunman's apartment
Related: Oregon college shooting is 994th mass gun attack in US in three years Authorities investigating the massacre said they had found a number of firearms at the apartment of 26-year-old Chris Harper Mercer, the Press Association reported.
The killer, who was fatally shot in a gun battle with police following the rampage, has been named as Chris Harper Mercer, 26, who lived near Umpqua college, in the rural town of Roseburg. Federal officials said Mercer was killed in a gun battle with police after carrying out the attack at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg. He was cornered in a hall by a police officer who reported exchanging shots with the killer.
Mercer, whose father is English, lived near Umpqua college in the rural city in south-eastern Oregon. Federal investigators have told the Associated Press that Mercer was armed with three pistols, a rifle, five extra magazines and wore body armor.
In the aftermath of the rampage, harrowing details have begun to emerge of the scene inside the classroom. Witnesses said the gunman demanded to know students’ religion before shooting them.
Hannah Miles, a 19-year-old freshman who had been in her writing class when her teacher got a call from security saying the school was in lockdown, said she heard gunshots from a neighbouring classroom.
“There was a huge pop. It sounded like a ruler smacking against a chalkboard. Everyone jumped and we didn’t know what was going on. Then there was another one,” Miles told reporters. She was eventually evacuated by police from the locked classroom.
The father of Anastasia Boylan, an 18-year-old student who was in class when Mercer came in shooting, said she survived by playing dead.The father of Anastasia Boylan, an 18-year-old student who was in class when Mercer came in shooting, said she survived by playing dead.
“[Mercer] came in and there was gunfire immediately and he scattered the room. From what I understood from what she said was he shot the professor point blank, one shot killed him,” Stacey Boylan told CNN.“[Mercer] came in and there was gunfire immediately and he scattered the room. From what I understood from what she said was he shot the professor point blank, one shot killed him,” Stacey Boylan told CNN.
“Others had been injured and then this man had enough time – I don’t know how much time elapsed – he was able to stand there and start asking people one by one what their religion was.“Others had been injured and then this man had enough time – I don’t know how much time elapsed – he was able to stand there and start asking people one by one what their religion was.
“‘Are you a Christian?’ he would ask them, and ‘if you are a Christian then stand up’ and they would stand up. He’d say ‘because you are a Christian you’re going to see God in about one second’ and then he shot and killed them. And he kept going down the line doing this to people.”“‘Are you a Christian?’ he would ask them, and ‘if you are a Christian then stand up’ and they would stand up. He’d say ‘because you are a Christian you’re going to see God in about one second’ and then he shot and killed them. And he kept going down the line doing this to people.”
Hannah Miles, a 19-year-old freshman who had been in her writing class when her teacher got a call from security saying the school was in lockdown, said she heard gunshots from a neighbouring classroom. Emergency services first received a report of shots fired at the campus at about 10.38am local time. The community college, which mostly offers adult education courses, has roughly 3,000 registered students, but only a few hundred attend full-time.
“There was a huge pop. It sounded like a ruler smacking against a chalkboard. Everyone jumped and we didn’t know what was going on. Then there was another one,” Miles told reporters. She was eventually evacuated by police from the locked classroom. Officials said the killer lived near the college in an apartment complex in Winchester with his mother. Mercer was born in the UK before moving to the US at a young age. He was the son of Ian Bernard Mercer, a restaurant manager who lives in Tarzana, California, and Laurel Margaret Harper.
The picture emerging of Mercer is of a killer who had an interest in mass shootings, having reportedly recently posted on a blog about a gunman who killed two US journalists live on air in August. He described Vester Flanagan as a man who “wanted the world to see his actions” before adding: “Seems the more people you kill, the more you’re in the limelight.” The gunman’s father said he was “just as shocked as everybody” at his son’s actions. “I can’t answer any questions right now, I don’t want to answer any questions right now. It’s been a devastating day, devastating for me and my family. Shocked is all I can say.”
Mercer is thought to have been born in England before moving to the US as a young boy. Neighbours in Winchester said he lived in an apartment with his African-American mother, a nurse, and that he loved target shooting and seemed to carry around a black case with a gun inside. Although little more is known about Chris Mercer, he appears to have left an online footprint that hints at interest in mass shootings as well as apparent support for the IRA.
His father, Ian Mercer, said he was “just as shocked as everybody” at his son’s actions. Speaking from his home in the US, he told reporters: “I’ve just been talking to the police and the FBI and all the details I have right now is what you guys [reporters] have already. Related: America's gun massacre blues seem to play on an endless loop
“I can’t answer any questions right now, I don’t want to answer any questions right now. It’s been a devastating day, devastating for me and my family. Shocked is all I can say.” He had reportedly recently posted on a blog about a gunman who killed two US journalists live on air in August. The author described Vester Flanagan as a man who “wanted the world to see his actions” before adding: “Seems the more people you kill, the more you’re in the limelight.”
Speaking at the White House, Obama said: “We are not the only country on Earth that has people with mental illnesses or who want to do harm to other people. We are the only advanced country on earth that sees these kinds of mass shootings every few months.” A neighbour, Bronte Hart, said he lived upstairs and would “sit by himself in the dark in the balcony with this little light”.
The shooting on the campus in the former timber town 180 miles south of Portland took place on the the first week of classes at the community college, which has about 3,000 students. Mercer’s step-sister, Carmen Nesnick, expressed shock and confusion over her stepbrother’s role in the attack, telling reporters on Thursday night that he was a “nice guy”.
“All he ever did was put everyone before himself,” said Nesnick, who lives in California, where Mercer lived before moving to Oregon. “He wanted everyone to be happy.”
Hours after the shooting, community members held a vigil at Stewart Park, about 10 miles from Umpqua community college.
Speaking at the White House, a visibly angry Barack Obama said: “We are not the only country on Earth that has people with mental illnesses or who want to do harm to other people. We are the only advanced country on earth that sees these kinds of mass shootings every few months.”