ROSEBURG, Ore. — Authorities say the gunman who killed nine people at an Oregon community college committed suicide as officers arrived.
Sheriff John Hanlin made the disclosure Saturday at a news conference. He says the determination was made by the medical examiner’s office.
An official says the gunman left a “manifesto” that was a couple pages long.
The official did not reveal the contents of the document but described it as an effort to leave a message for law enforcement.
The official is familiar with the investigation but was not authorized to disclose information and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The official said the document was left at the scene of Thursday’s shooting but wouldn’t specify how authorities obtained it.
Authorities are trying to determine a motive for the mass killing.
The family of the gunman says they are “shocked and deeply saddened” by the slayings.
Authorities released the statement Saturday from the relatives of Christopher Sean Harper-Mercer saying “our thoughts, our hearts and our prayers go out to all of the families of those who died and were injured.”
The 26-year-old Harper-Mercer opened fire Thursday at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon.
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