Again, We Mourn

Roseburg, OR—On Thursday, October 1st, a shooting at Umpqua Community College left 10 dead (including the shooter himself) and seven injured (three of which are still in critical condition). The crisis began at 10:30 am when 26-year-old Chris Harper Mercer began shooting through the doors of Snyder Hall. He then walked into a classroom with a handgun and opened fire, shooting multiple students and a professor. Prior to the shooting, an anonymous posting on the message board 4chan showed a meme of a frog with a gun, warning students in the Northwest not to attend school on Thursday. It was uncertain if this message was meant for college students; according to UCC President Dr. Rita Cavin, the school did not receive any threats or prior warning before the shooting. Officials are not certain of shooter’s motive, although a few witnesses now claim that he targeted individuals who said they were Christian. Mercer was pronounced dead at the scene after a shootout with police. UCC’s president expressed deep sadness at a news conference Sunday afternoon, saying she received almost 100 letters from colleges around the nation that suffered similar tragedies. “This is not a club we wanted to join,” she said. “We did not want to be part of the Sandy Hook club, but we’re now members. The newest members and the senior members are all taking care of us.”