Harrowing story of survival of student who survived by playing dead

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Anastasia Boylan, 18, was in a classroom on her fourth day at the college
Before going into surgery, she told her family she played dead to survive
Her father Stacy recounted that gunman targeted Christians specifically
He added Anastasia told him that Chris Harper-Mercer shot professor dead
Then told his victims to stand if they were Christian and shot them too

Published: 23:39 EST, 1 October 2015 | Updated: 23:48 EST, 1 October 2015

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The harrowing story of how one 18-year-old student survived the Oregon college shooting by playing dead has been revealed.

Anastasia Boylan was in a classroom on her fourth day studying at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg when Chris Harper-Mercer entered and shot her professor dead point-blank.

She told her family that he told his victims to stand up and declare the religion, before telling them: ‘Good, because you’re a Christian, you’re going to see God in just about one second.’

He then shot his victims, including Anastasia, who told her father she survived by playing dead before she underwent surgery on her spine.

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Anastasia Boylan (pictured) told her family that she survived the Oregon college shooting by playing dead

Her father Stacy (pictured left, being comforted by his son) told CNN that Chris Harper-Mercer asked his victims to stand if they were Christian, then told them: ‘You’re going to see God in just about one second’

Her father Stacy Boylan told CNN that Harper-Mercer was targeting Christians.

‘He came in and there was gunfire. He secured the room and got their attention. He shot her professor point-blank. One shot killed him.’

As he was comforted by his son, Boylan added that Harper-Mercer, as he reloaded his handgun, ordered his victims to stand if they were Christians.

‘And then he shot and killed them.’

Anastasia's father said his daughter saw her professor shot point-blank and only survived by playing dead

Hannah Miles, center, is reunited with her sister Hailey, left, and father Gary Miles, right, after the shooting

Hannah Miles, 19, a student at Umqua Community College, told reporters how her teacher's brave actions saved her life

Harper-Mercer, 26, killed at least 10 people when he opened fire at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg at around 10.30am local time on Thursday.

He was later shot dead on the campus by police officers.

Other traumatized survivors have revealed their terror when they realized a shooter was on their campus.

Kortney Moore, told the News Review newspaper that she was in her writing class when a bullet burst through the window.

The 18-year-old said the shooter came inside the building, where he shot her teacher and told everyone to get down on the ground.

Moore said the gunman told his victims to stand up and state their religion before shooting them dead.

A woman is comforted as friends and family wait for students at the local fairgrounds after a shooting

Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin addresses the media following the deadly shooting, confirming the gunman's death

People gathered for a candle light vigil following a mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg

A woman places a candle at a vigil to commemorate the victims of the massacre at a community college

She said she laid down on the ground next to some of the victims who were shot, but managed to make it out alive.

In the parking lot of the Douglas County Fairground, student Hannah Miles spoke about how her teacher's actions saved her life.

The 19-year-old was in a writing class when she heard a sound like a 'ruler smacking a chalkboard'.

According to USA Today, she said: 'I didn’t think it was a gunshot until the second one.'

She added that her teacher Amy Fair knocked on the door, which was locked, and got everyone out of the classroom - and then proceeded to knock on windows and doors in the building urging everyone to leave.

'I think she saved us,' Miles said. 'She saved us all.'