Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik Thursday credited strong planning by local authorities in Oregon for preventing a 20-year-old gunman from taking more lives while on a shooting rampage at a community college, telling Newsmax "you can only imagine what this would've been without their intervention."
"That could've been far, far worse if they didn't take this guy out when they did," Kerik, who oversaw the city's police force during the 9/11 attacks, said of the shootings at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, about 180 miles south of Portland. "The other thing I was pretty impressed with was that the state had brought in buses to extract people from the campus.
"That wasn't spontaneous. That was something that was pre-planned."
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said 13 people were dead after the 20-year-old gunman
began firing at 10:38 a.m. It was not immediately clear whether that number also included the shooter.
State police Lt. Bill Fugate said that at least 20 others were hurt. The school has about 3,000 students.
Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin said the gunman was killed in an exchange of gunfire with officers. The sheriff did not say whether the shooter was killed by officers or took his own life.
Authorities offered no immediate word on the gunman's motive and said they were investigating.
One student said the shooter asked people about their religion before spraying more bullets.
After the incident, students and faculty were taken by bus the county fairgrounds, the sheriff's office said.
Kerik told Newsmax that using the buses to transport people to safer areas proved that Douglas County authorities had been planning for such an attack.
"I can't fathom that was something spontaneous, which means these guys have been drilling or practicing for this kind of event," he said. "The first responders, the local and state police — and the administration itself.
"This isn't the first, it's not going to be the last — but it's essential, and this is a clear demonstration of how important these continual drills are. This is extremely important.
"They have been planning," Kerik reiterated. "They've been preparing for a crises like this. Look, the reality is if they haven't been, they're stupid.
"If you're in this country today and you don't know the possible threats that we face with terrorism — whether it's a lone wolf or a group or some lunatic like perhaps in this case — but if you don't understand that by now, then you're never going to get it.
"We have to be prepared for crises of this nature — and it appears to be that you've got to give these cops and the first-responders kudos for their response today."
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