Oregon State Police said on Thursday that the shooter at the Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon had been apprehended and in custody.

The Douglas County Fire Department wrote on its Twitter account - prior to the suspect's arrest - that an "active shooter scene is code 4. Multiple casualties all pt's transported."

Local media are reporting multiple casualties, with counts putting the figure between seven to 15 people dead.

Students and staff are gathered on the front lawn, waiting to be loaded onto a bus, reported The News-Review in Roseburg

At least 3,000 full-time students attend the Umpqua Community College, around 180 miles (300 kilometers) south of Oregon's largest city Portland.

US Senator Jeff Merkely of Oregon denounced the attack, stating his "heart and prayers are with the victims and their families."

Gun control measures continue to be a controversial subject in the US despite the alarming number of gun-related deaths.


ls/kms (Reuters, AP, dpa)