Oregon college gunman a 'ghost kind of guy,' Torrance neighbor says
TORRANCE, Calif. (KABC) -- The gunman who opened fire at Umpqua Community College in Oregon on Thursday had close ties to Southern California. His father lives in Tarzana, and his mother lives in Torrance.
Chris Harper Mercer, 26, lived for several years with his mother at an apartment complex in Torrance. They lived in apartment No. 9.
One resident remembers him.
"Kind of like a random guy who would ride his bike all the time around here," said Jason Lee.
Lee says he would always wear military pants and boots, and was not very friendly.
"He was like a ghost kind of guy," said Lee. "He never talked to people. He would just kind of ignore them, and he was like a grown man, but he acted like a kid...like childish."
PHOTOS: Deadly campus shooting at Umpqua Community College in Oregon
Mercer attended the Switzer Learning Center. Several police cars were seen leaving the school Friday, but no one would comment about it.
The school is for students with learning disabilities.
The principal told Eyewitness News there is no statement from the school and expressed his condolences for the families of the victims.
MORE: Oregon shooting survivor tried to block gunman, family says
Meanwhile in Tarzana, Mercer's father, Ian Mercer, left his house Friday morning. He did not want to comment about the shooting or anything related to his son.
"Shocked. Shocked is all I can say," Ian Mercer said Thursday night.
He spoke for just a few seconds and asked for privacy for his family during this difficult time.
"Obviously it's been a devastating day, devastating for me and my family," he said.
MORE: Family of Oregon college shooting suspect speaks out in Tarzana
Chris Mercer would sometimes visit his father at his home in Tarzana.
"When he used to come over, we would just have random conversations about futures and stuff, and he would tell me that he would make sure that I would be successful," said Carmen Nesnick, Mercer's stepsister.
Nesnick still finds it hard to believe he would do something like this.
"All he ever did was put everyone before himself," she said. "He wanted everyone to be happy, and no matter if he was sad or mad, he would always try to cheer up everybody."
