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Mass shooting reported at Oregon college; police say up to 10 are dead

by Jesse Byrnes and Mark Hensch - 10/01/15 2:40 PM ET

A mass shooting at a community college in southwest Oregon has left up to 10 people dead and scores wounded, according to multiple reports.

Authorities were called to Umpqua Community College at around 2 p.m. Eastern time. A local fire district tweeted around that time that an active shooter was at the school.

{mosads}Oregon State Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said on MSNBC that the gunman had been “neutralized,” adding that authorities so far did not have information on the weapon.

Oregon State Police Lt. Bill Fugate said seven to 10 people were killed in the attack, according to local news outlet KATU. Rosenblum said preliminary information indicated that 13 people have died.

Initial reports on the death toll have varied, with wounded victims being transported to local hospitals.

Kathleen Nickel, a spokeswoman for Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg, Ore., told the Roseburg News Reader that the hospital has received six patients hurt in the attack and is expecting two more.

PeaceHealth hospital in Springfield, Ore., is also preparing for incoming victims, according to The Oregonian.

“We’re trying to prepare for a half-dozen or more victims,” said Jim Godbold, director of communications at PeaceHealth. “This is a disaster-level response.”

Mercy Medical Center tweeted after 3 p.m. Eastern that it had received nine patients from the school and three more were en route.

President Obama has been briefed on the shooting by homeland security adviser Lisa Monaco and will receive updates throughout the day, according to a White House official.

English professor Jillanne Michell told The Oregonian on Thursday that the shooting occurred in Snyder Hall.

“I heard the shots,” Michell said, adding it was possible more shots were fired elsewhere. “It was a lot.”

Umpqua Community College has around 3,300 full-time students, according to KTVU. The school was established in 1964 and has 16 campus buildings across 100 acres.

This story was last updated at 4:23 p.m.

Jordan Fabian contributed.