At least 12 victims were killed and 10 to 12 wounded when a gunman opened fire at a crowded bar in Thousand Oaks, California late Wednesday. The gunman is also dead.
Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said a gunman entered Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks about 11:20 p.m. and opened fire.
Ventura County sheriff’s patrol Sgt. Ron Helus, was fatally wounded after he confronted the gunman and was shot multiple times. Helus had responded within 4 minutes of the first reports of the shooting and entered the bar when he was shot, Dean said.
A California Highway Patrol officer who was nearby secured the perimeter of the shooting scene and rescued Helus “out of the line of fire,” Dean said.
Helus later died at a hospital. He was a veteran sheriff’s deputy with 29 years of experience, who was hoping to retire next year.
“Ron was as hard working, dedicated sheriff’s sergeant. He was totally committed. He gave his all, and as I told his wife tonight, he died a hero because he went in to save lives, to save other people,” Dean told reporters early Thursday.
When officers entered the bar about 15 minutes after Helus was shot, they found 11 victims dead. The gunman was also dead with an apparent gunshot wound, Dean said.
The shooting was at Borderline Bar and Grill
A gunman opened fire at the Borderline Bar and Grill, a nightclub in Thousand Oaks, at around 11:20 p.m.
The Borderline’s website lists Wednesday nights as College Country Night. Pepperdime University has reported that students from the university were attending.
11 people were hurt
11 people were hurt in the shooting, including a Sherrif’s Deputy who was responding to a call of shots fired, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Captain Garo Kuredjian told Fox News.
“That number may change as we get more information,” he said. “I don’t know what the condition of any of the victims is at this point.”
CNN and the Los Angeles Times report that there were “multiple fatalities.”
The shooter is no longer active
There is “no further threat to the public”, Kuredjian said. He could not confirm if the shooter had been neutralized or taken into custody.
The shooter reportedly threw smoke bombs
Witnesses reported that the shooter threw smoke bombs after entering the bar to obstruct patrons’ view. Kuredjian said investigators could not confirm the reports.
