RTThu, 08 Nov 2018 11:57 UTC
At least twelve people, including an officer, have been killed after a gunman went on a shooting spree in a packed bar in Thousand Oaks, California. The suspect is also dead, police announced.
SWAT officers, FBI and ambulances rushed to the scene following the rampage. A bomb squad has been requested as well. It is understood that approximately 30 shots have been fired. Ventura County Sheriff's Dept. Sheriff Geoff Dean told a press conference that at least 12 victims have been confirmed killed by the gunman.
Among the dead was a 29-year police veteran, Ron Helus, who along with a Highway Patrol officer were the first responders to the scene. Dean said Helis was expected to retire in the next year.
A further 10-15 people are also believed to have received injuries, sustained either from the gunman's bullets or hurt while they tried to escape.
Police are working to identify the shooter and a possible motive for the attack, with terrorism not yet ruled out. The perpetrator was said to be a "bearded" man in his early 20s wearing all black clothing."When deputies arrived they heard shots being fired, it was an active shooter situation," Ventura County Sheriff's office spokesman Eric Buschow said.
Witnesses describing the moment the gunman opened fire said the man first shot the bar's security guard at the door with a handgun. The alleged perpetrator then threw smoke bombs into the bar and continued shooting.Some of the people fled to a nearby gas station to safety, with reports saying people broke the glass of windows in an attempt to escape the rampage.
Those who couldn't escape the building took refuge in in restrooms and even crawl spaces in the attic, according to police.
One witness known as Tim, who was with his stepson at the time of the shooting told ABC7: "There were just young people, 18, 19, 20, just having a great time. And then this maniac came in and started shooting people for no reason at all."
Another, who escaped through the front door after the shooting started described other people's attempts to flee the gunman.
"I ran out the front door. I hear chairs being thrown out the window, people were trying to get out the window. There was probably 12 shots before I got out the front door."
Comment: UPDATE 8 NovemberRT
reports that local police have named the gunman as 28-year-old former US marine Ian David Long, an Afghanistan war veteran.
The Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, is known for its live country music and was packed that night with college students.
Long is reported to have opened fire there Wednesday night with a Glock 21 .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun.
The victims include a security guard outside the bar and a sheriff's deputy who was among the first to respond to the shooting. Long was also found dead at the scene, so it's assumed he killed himself before SWAT entered the building.
Police report that Long's firearm was legally purchased in Ventura County, although he "used an illegal extended magazine clip in order to carry more ammunition."
Law enforcement had several interactions with Long, most recently in April this year when police responded to a disturbance at his residence (which appears to be his mother's house).
Describing him as
"somewhat irate," and
"acting a little irrationally" at the time, the local sheriff said a mental health team was called to assess Long's mental health, but he was cleared and no further action was taken.
Previous incidents had included a minor traffic collision and in 2015, while Long was the victim of battery in earlier bar incident in Thousand Oaks.
UPDATES 9 NovemberThere are contradictory reports about the use of smoke bombs/flash grenades. The authorities have dismissed such reports twice now, though
eyewitnesses continue reporting that such were used...
John Hedge, who was standing at the front door with his stepdad at the time, said he saw the shooter "throwing smoke grenades all over the place."
Footage of the actual shooting:
A number of those in attendance
were also in attendance at last year's mass shooting at the Route 91 country music festival in Las Vegas:
As with so many other mass shootings in the USA, there's still no apparent motive, though it could have something to do with this:
Comment: UPDATE 8 November
RT reports that local police have named the gunman as 28-year-old former US marine Ian David Long, an Afghanistan war veteran.
The Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, is known for its live country music and was packed that night with college students.
Long is reported to have opened fire there Wednesday night with a Glock 21 .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun.
The victims include a security guard outside the bar and a sheriff's deputy who was among the first to respond to the shooting. Long was also found dead at the scene, so it's assumed he killed himself before SWAT entered the building.
Police report that Long's firearm was legally purchased in Ventura County, although he "used an illegal extended magazine clip in order to carry more ammunition."
Law enforcement had several interactions with Long, most recently in April this year when police responded to a disturbance at his residence (which appears to be his mother's house).
Describing him as "somewhat irate," and "acting a little irrationally" at the time, the local sheriff said a mental health team was called to assess Long's mental health, but he was cleared and no further action was taken.
Previous incidents had included a minor traffic collision and in 2015, while Long was the victim of battery in earlier bar incident in Thousand Oaks.
UPDATES 9 November
There are contradictory reports about the use of smoke bombs/flash grenades. The authorities have dismissed such reports twice now, though eyewitnesses continue reporting that such were used...
Footage of the actual shooting:
A number of those in attendance were also in attendance at last year's mass shooting at the Route 91 country music festival in Las Vegas:
As with so many other mass shootings in the USA, there's still no apparent motive, though it could have something to do with this: