Chris Harper-Mercer and the 2015 Umpqua Community College Mass Murder
Overview
On October 1, 2015, 26-year-old Christopher Sean “Chris” Harper-Mercer opened fire inside Snyder Hall at Umpqua Community College (UCC) in Roseburg, Oregon. In a span of roughly ten minutes, he murdered nine people—eight students and an assistant professor—and wounded eight others before killing himself as police closed in. The attack is the deadliest school shooting in Oregon’s history.
Timeline of the Attack (October 1, 2015)
At approximately 10:38 a.m. PDT, the first 9-1-1 call reported gunfire from Snyder Hall, Classroom 15. Harper-Mercer, a student in the writing class being held there, shot the instructor at point-blank range and then targeted students, at times forcing them into the center of the room. Witness accounts described him firing primarily with two handguns (a Glock 19 and a Taurus PT24/7). Responding Roseburg Police officers arrived within minutes; an exchange of gunfire occurred in the hallway. Wounded by police, Harper-Mercer retreated back into the classroom and fatally shot himself, ending the attack by about 10:48 a.m.
Weapons
Investigators documented multiple firearms associated with the shooter: five handguns at the scene (including four semi-automatic pistols and a revolver), and additional legally purchased firearms recovered from his residence. A Del-Ton DTI-15 rifle was present but not used during the attack.
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Account
