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On October 1, a 26-year-old man attacked Umpqua College, killing ten people and severely injuring seven. The gunman, Chris Harper Mercer, had been a student at the small community college before opening fire on his fellow alumni and teachers. Mercer was killed during a firefight with local police after shooting over a dozen people on campus. Police have confirmed that Mercer had been carrying three different guns during the attack.
This school is one of many that have been added to the list of mass shootings in America, and it has brought up the major conflict of gun control. Oregon is one of seven states that legally allows the concealment of firearms on campuses and public, and many of the locals are enraged. After the attack, the people of Roseburg, and especially the students of Umpqua, call on the government for change.
President Obama made a speech regarding the attack, and encouraged political representatives to take a stance on the conflict of gun control and to make the decision of “whether this cause of continuing death for innocent people should be a relevant factor.” Obama travelled to Oregon to give his condolences to the families of the victims and to encourage the support for gun control laws to the locals.
Students and staff of Umpqua College held a large candlelight vigil for the victims of the incident, and the college held an assembly to address the sorrow within the college community. The survivors of the shooting have been recognized for their bravery, and the small town of Roseburg is finding ways to mend their grieving community.
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