Gunman kills exchange students outside US nightclub

A gunman opened fire outside an under-21 nightclub, killing two girls and wounding seven others before shooting himself in what US police believe could be a random act of violence.

A Peruvian exchange student was also killed and four of the wounded were students from Ecuador, France, Guatemala and Taiwan, officials in Portland, Oregon, said. A stray bullet hit a man outside a neighbouring bar.

Detective Mary Wheat said the shooting did not appear to be connected to gangs and there was no indication the man had a relationship with any of the people he shot in front of The Zone nightclub late on Saturday night, local time.

Ms Wheat said investigators were trying to determine the shooter’s route to the club, but it did not appear he had been inside it or the nearby bar beforehand.

The 24-year-old man was in a critical condition today and police were still trying to confirm his name.

“At first blush, this incident appears to be a random act of violence, of the kind that makes you despair for America,” said Chief Rosie Sizer of the Portland Police Bureau. She described the shooting as “unprecedented” for the city.

Ashley Wilks, 16, from Portland, was killed. The other victim has not been identified, but Miguel Velasquez of the Peruvian Consulate in Seattle said she was a 17-year-old girl from Peru on an exchange programme. He said her host family lived in White Salmon, Washington.

Both girls were part of a group of exchange students at The Zone to celebrate a birthday, said Chuck Itoh, chairman of the Rotary District 5100 exchange programme. Ashley was getting ready to leave for her trip.

Her stepfather, Randy Thiesen, told The Oregonian that the family was too upset to talk about the shootings.

“We’re just shocked. We’re not doing good,” he said.

Besides the alleged gunman, one of the other shooting victims was in a critical condition today.

Two others were treated and released. The rest were in hospital, but expected to survive.

Scott Bieber, the youth protection officer for the exchange programme, said four of the wounded were exchange students from Ecuador, France, Guatemala and Taiwan.

“Our hearts and our sympathies, thoughts and prayers go out to the victims’ parents for their loss,” he said.

“But it just kind of makes it harder to fathom when the whole purpose of this programme is to foster peace and goodwill and understanding around the world.”