CALIFORNIA SHOOTING: Officer Among 12 Dead After Gunman Opens Fire in Thousand Oaks Bar

Image source: Twitter via Christina Heller
Image source: Twitter via Christina Heller
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A mass shooting as has been reported at the “Borderline” bar in Thousand Oaks, California. The attack happened at around 11.20pm and has resulted in multiple casualties, including the injuring of a police officer. Twelve people were shot dead, including a responding police officer.

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The gunman, who was thought to have been armed with a semi-automatic weapon, was found dead at the scene, according to authorities. Approximately 30 shots were reported, with one witness saying that the perpetrator had “smoke bombs.” It is understood that a “college country night” was going on at the Borderline when the shooting occurred.

In a recent briefing, Ventura County Sheriff’s office spokesman Eric Buschow said that “there are multiple fatalities, multiple injuries,” adding that “among the victims is one of our sheriff’s deputies that responded in that initial call, as well as the shooter.”

“It was chaos, people jumping out of windows, hopping over gates and just trying to get out,” said witness Nick Steinwender, according to CNN. “From what I heard, the gunman started shooting at the front desk. … Students were hiding in the attics, bathrooms and stuff like that.” Staggeringly, there are reports that some of those caught up in the shooting were also survivors of the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting which took place on October 1 last year.

Chandler Gunn, 23, of Newbury Park, told the LA Times that he had run down to the Borderline Bar after hearing reports of a shooting. He was at the Vegas country festival when gunman Stephen Paddock shot 58 people dead from his Mandalay Bay Hotel room.

“A lot of people in the Route 91 situation go here,” Gunn told the outlet. “There’s people that live a whole lifetime without seeing this, and then there’s people that have seen it twice.”

Authorities later named the police victim as Sgt. Ron Helus, who had been with the force for some 29 years. He was looking to retire in the “next year or so,” Sheriff Geoff Dean told reporters, according to CNN.

On Helus’ LinkedIn page, he detailed his extensive experience in police firearms units. “I am an FBI certified firearms instructor and a POST (Peace Officer’s Standards and Training) instructor,” Helus wrote. “I have thousands of hours of specialized training. I work or have worked, the following assignments: Custody; patrol (Deputy, Senior Deputy, Sergeant); SWAT; all aspects of firearms, less lethal, and chemical agents instruction; investigations; narcotics; and wellness advisor. I own and operate Gun Control: Firearms Training and CCW Instruction.”

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Sgt. Ron Helus. Image source: Facebook/Gun Control: Firearms Training and CCW Instruction

“Ron was a hardworking dedicated sheriff’s sergeant. He was totally committed, he gave his all and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero; he went in to save lives, to save other people,” Dean added.

The sheriff described the scene as “horrific” with “blood everywhere.”

In dramatic footage caught by news crews, medics could be seen administering CPR to victims of the shooting.

“Ongoing active shooter incident reported at Borderline,” the Ventura County Fire Department tweeted early Thursday morning. “Please stay away from area. Active law enforcement incident. Multiple injuries reported. Details still being determined.”

Pray for the families of all those caught up in this horrific act of violence.

This is a developing story, we will keep you updated as more information comes in.