Matthew 5:4 KJV Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Ten people are dead and seven are injured after a lone gunman opened fire at Umpqua Community College, located in Roseburg, Oregon. The death toll includes the gunman who was shot by police after exchanging gunfire with law enforcement.
Law enforcement identified the 26-year-old shooter Thursday night as Chris Harper Mercer. Police reported that the shooter had three weapons on his person during the shooting. In a news conference after the tragedy, Sheriff Hanlin would not speak the gunman’s name.
“Let me be very clear, I will not name the shooter,” he said. “I will not give him the credit he probably sought prior to this horrific and cowardly act.”
Sheriff Hanlin also asked reporters not to glorify or sensationalize him.
One of the injured students, Anastasia Boylan, told her father that the gunman had been singling out Christians. Before her spinal surgery, her dad relayed his daughter’s story to CNN. The gunman had entered her classroom, firing. After shooting the professor, the students hit the ground. She then recalled how he asked anyone who was a Christian to stand up, and then shot them. Boylan was shot in the back, but she survived by playing dead.
Investigators have reported that the gunman had a long history of resenting organized religion, specifically Christianity. His various social media accounts all had some sort of reference to hating religion.
The attack was among some of the worst mass school shootings over the last two decades including the Virginia Tech tragedy in 2007, the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut in 2012, and the Columbine High School shooting in 1999 located in Colorado.
According to data from ShootingTracker.com, mass shootings have taken place hundreds of times over the last several years. The Washington Post reports that only week has passed without a mass shooting incident during President Obama’s second term. A mass shooting is defined as an incident where four or more people are shot. The one week where there was no mass shooting was in April this year. Six days have passed without an incident several times.
On Thursday night, mourners gathered at a park in Roseburg, Oregon. Candles were held up by attendees and the hymn “Amazing Grace” was played. Photos of the vigil showed heartbroken community members huddled together and sharing stories of grief. Oregon Governor Kate Brown attended the vigil and offered her condolences.
“In our sorrow, we will remember and honor those lost today,” she said. “And they will forever be in our hearts.”
All of us at the Jim Bakker Show and Morningside ask that you join us in prayer for everyone involved in this heartbreaking incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the victims’ families, those who are injured and recovering, the law enforcement and medical personnel, and for the entire community of Roseburg, Oregon. May God bless each and every one of you and comfort you during this difficult time.