The killer, identified only as a 20-year-old man, invaded a classroom and demanded that people stand up and state their religion before spraying more bullets, one student reported.
Authorities shed no light on the gunman’s motive and said they were investigating the attack at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, about 180 miles south of Portland. State police Lt. Bill Fugate told KATU-TV that at least 20 others were hurt.
Kortney Moore told the Roseburg News-Review newspaper that she was in a writing class when a shot came through a window. The gunman entered her classroom and told people to get on the ground. The man then started asking people to stand up and state their religion and opened fire.
Lorie Andrews, who lives across the street from the campus, said she heard what sounded like fireworks followed by sirens. She walked up the road and spoke to students who had streamed out.
“One girl came out wrapped in a blanket with blood on her,” Andrews said.
Hours after the attack, a visibly angry President Barack Obama spoke to reporters, saying the United States is becoming numb to mass shootings and that the shooters have “sickness” in their minds.
