Gunman Kills 12 People Including One Police Officer In A Shooting At A California College Nightclub

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NBC – Twelve people including a police officer were killed by a gunman at a crowded bar in Thousand Oaks, California, late Wednesday, officials said.

Several hundred people were inside the venue, which was hosting a “college country night” for students, police said. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean described the incident at the Borderline Bar and Grill as a “tragic, tragic situation.”

Law enforcement officials say they have a tentative identification, but they’re not yet revealing the name. The gunman is a white male, born in 1990 who is heavily tattooed, the officials said.

Another day another horrible blog to write.  Waking up this morning to reports that some lunatic walked into a California nightclub last night during “College Night,” shot the bouncer, set off a smoke device, and killed 12 people, including the first officer who rushed in to help:  29 year veteran Sergeant Ron Helus.

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The police officer killed was named as Sgt. Ron Helus, a 29-year police veteran with a wife and son who was looking to retire in the next year.

“He was hard-working, he was totally committed, he gave his all and, tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero,” an emotional Dean said. “He gave his life to save other people.”

The shooter was apparently dressed in all black, wearing a trench coat and a mask, and had a Glock .45 with extended mags as well as smoke grenades.

Kids hid under the pool tables and used barstools to smash out windows and escape.

…
The shooter, who has not been named publicly but has been identified by police, stormed Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks on Wednesday at 11.20pm. He first shot the bouncer then opened fire on the crowds of youngsters who were there to enjoy a night of line dancing and country music.

As dozens ran for their lives, hid beneath pool tables and used bar stools to shatter the windows to escape, the shooter continued firing his Glock .45.

He also threw smoke grenades to confuse the crowds.

When the first police officers arrived at the scene three minutes later, the gunman shot one of them multiple times before shooting himself. By the time SWAT teams arrived, he was dead. The sheriff’s sergeant who was shot later died in hospital. He was Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran.

In total, 13 are dead; 11 people inside the bar, the sheriff’s sergeant and the gunman. The gunman was 29 and drove his mother’s car to the bar to carry out the attack. [Daily Mail]

It’s like we can’t go one week without some new tragedy to read about.

No list of victims yet, but some of the students inside were from Cal Lutheran and Pepperdine.

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Also…there were Las Vegas massacre survivors also inside the bar.

Fucking awful.