College massacre gunman 'spared one student to be his messenger to the police'

World

College massacre gunman ‘spared one student to be his messenger to the police’

The gunman who blasted nine students to death at a community college in Oregon spared one because he wanted him to take a message to the authorities. British-born Christopher Sean Harper-Mercer gave someone an envelope and told him to go to a corner of the classroom, witnesses said on Sunday. The 26-year-old, who shot himself dead after his murderous rampage, said the person “was going to be the lucky one”. Lacey Scroggins, who escaped unharmed from the massacre, told her family the gunman called to a student, saying: “Don’t worry, you’re the one who is going to survive.” The 18-year-old’s father, Randy, a pastor, said Harper-Mercer told the student that inside the shooter’s backpack was “all the information that you’ll need. Give it to the police”. Police have so far declined to reveal if they received the message.

It is still not clear why Harper-Mercer, a US army reject who kept an arsenal of 14 legally acquired guns, went on his killing spree in Roseburg. Witnesses have suggested he singled out Christians after lining up students and demanding they state their religion. Others have said the gunman shot one after saying she could save her life by begging, while some were killed after being told to crawl across the floor. Mr Scroggins said his daughter only survived because Harper-Mercer thought she was dead as she was covered in the blood of another victim and so shot 20-year-old Treven Anspach instead. Meanwhile, it has emerged that one of the victims was a British-born mother studying at the college alongside her teenage daughter. Kim Dietz, 59 and born in Edmonton, north London, attended as a mature student alongside her 18-year-old daughter, Shannon, who survived the attack unharmed.