News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A British-born gunman killed at least nine people in a US college before being fatally shot in a stand-off with police.

Chris Harper-Mercer was born in England before moving to the United States as a young boy, according to reports in America.

The 26-year-old, whose social media profiles featured content supporting the IRA, apparently demanded to know his victims' religious beliefs before opening fire.

The killer burst into Umpqua Community College in Roseburg before slaying nine people and injuring seven.

Terrified students told how they cowered behind desks fearing for their lives as a gun maniac went on a murderous college rampage.

(Image: Michael Sullivan/REX Shutterstock) (Image: Chris Pietsch/REX Shutterstock)

Eye-witnesses said the gunman asked his victims' faith, before shooting those who answered Christian.

Kortney More, 18, saw her teacher shot in the head in writing class.

She said: “The shooter was inside at that point, and he told people to get on the ground.

"The shooter was asking people to stand up and state their religion and then started firing.”

As the killer picked off targets, student Kayla Marie tweeted: “There’s someone shooting on campus. Students are running ­everywhere. Holy God.”

Police said Harper-Mercer was shot dead after the 45th school shooting in the US this year.

The gunman's dad Ian Mercer told reporters outside his home he is 'as surprised as anyone' at the tragedy.

(Image: Spiritual Passions)

He said: "Obviously, it's been a devastating day. Devastating for me and my family.

"I'm just as shocked as everybody at what happened today. I've just been talking to the police and the FBI.

"That's all the details I have right now, is what you know already."

Authorities, who initially refused to name the gunman, shed no light on his motive and said they were investigating.

Several people remain injured in hospital.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

Police are investigating messages left on social media website 4Chan which appear to have been warnings left by the killer the night before the attack.

One message read: "Some of you guys are alright. Don't go to school tomorrow if you're in the northwest."

Harper-Mercer began his killing spree at 10.38am local time. Police were reportedly going from room to room at the college checking for possible booby traps following the massacre.

Special agents were on the scene and canine teams rushed to the college to search for explosives, firearms casings and ­ammunition.

The scene was described as "utter chaos" with witnesses saying how one student was carried out in a bloodied blanket.

(Image: Splash) (Image: Getty)

Student Jodi Sonka said: "We heard something happening in the middle of our biology lab. And then we heard 'we need to get back in the room immediately'."

Last night a visibly shaken Barack Obama paid tribute to the victims and called for stricter gun laws.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

Seething with anger the President told a White House press conference: “We are the only advanced country on earth that sees these kinds of mass shootings every few months.

“Somehow this has become routine. The reporting is routine, my response here at this podium ends up being routine. We become numb to this.

“It cannot be this easy for someone who wants inflict harm on other people to get his or her hands on a gun.” He was referring to the latest in a long line of college massacres.

The Virginia Tech University killing spree in 2007 remains the worst mass shooting in the nation’s history.

(Image: Reuters) (Image: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Seung-Hui Cho, 23, shot dead 33 people and injured 25 in April 2007.

He later killed himself. In 2012, the nation was rattled by the slayings of 20 students and six staff at an elementary school in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.

Gunman Adam Lanza, 20, shot his mother before the rampage and killed himself shortly after.

­And the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado left 13 dead and 21 injured after 18-year-old Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, 17, killed 12 students and a teacher before ­committing suicide.

Umpqua has roughly 3,300 full-time students and 16,000 part-time ones.

It is not a traditional seat of learning as during the 2013-14 school year the average age of its students was 38.