Oregon Gunman was Student in Class, 13 Firearms Found

Local Editor

The man who gunned down nine people at an Oregon community college was enrolled in the class where the fatal shootings occurred, Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin said Friday as 13 firearms had been found with the assailant.

Hanlin was asked whether the shooter was a student at Umpqua Community College. He didn't have the information at the time, but later updated a web page with confirmation Chris Harper-Mercer was enrolled there.

Rita Cavin, interim president of the school, told CNN that Harper-Mercer, 26, was enrolled in English and theater classes. The gunman initially opened fire in an English class, she said.

Investigators found 13 firearms connected to shooter, Celinez Nunez of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said.

Five pistols and one rifle were found at the college, where the shooter died Thursday after a gunbattle with police, Nunez told reporters.

Police searched his apartment and found two pistols, four rifles and a shotgun, she said.

All the guns were legally obtained by the shooter or family members over the last three years through a federally licensed firearms dealer, she said.

Furthermore, a flak jacket was found next to a rifle at the school with five magazines of ammunition, Nunez said, and additional ammunition was found at the residence.

The gunman went to the college in rural south Oregon heavily armed and wearing body armor, authorities said.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team