A gunman who killed several people at a community college in the US state of Oregon on Thursday, is now dead, a local official said.

Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin told a news conference that officers headed to Umpqua Community College in Roseburg following reports of an active shooter in one of its classrooms.

"Upon arriving there they located the shooter in one of the buildings. Officers engaged that suspect.

"The shooter threat was neutralized," Hanlin said, later adding: "The shooter is deceased."