HERO SGT. WAS ‘A COP’S COP’
Officer made ultimate sacrifice Military members and students among victims
Sgt. Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran of the Ventura County Sheriff, was looking forward to retirement next year.
Instead, he was cut down Wednesday after he charged through the front door of the Borderline Bar & Grill to confront an unhinged gunman shooting the place up with a .45-caliber Glock.
Survivors said Helus’ bold, selfless move saved lives in the crowd of mostly-young revelers. His colleagues said they were not surprised.
“A cop’s cop,” said Sgt. Eric Bushow, a friend of the law enforcement veteran. “He’s just one of those guys who wouldn’t hesitate in a situation … When you call 911, he’s one of the guys you want showing up.”
Helus was on the phone with his wife when word of the shooting came.
“Hey, I gotta go handle a call,” the 54-year-old cop told the mother of their son. “I love you. I’ll talk to you later.”
Helus, a devoted fly fisherman, spent much of his 30-year career on the SWAT team, and worked in narcotics and investigations.
After the shooting, his body was taken in a hearse for a 25-mile ride to the coroner’s office. A procession of law enforcement vehicles, their lights flashing, rode along with his body, as some of the Ventura County residents he served stood roadside to bid him farewell.
“He went in there to save people, and paid the ultimate price,” said Sheriff Geoff Dean.
CODY COFFMAN
As Jason Coffman watched his son Cody head out Wednesday night, he offered the 22year-old some advice — never thinking it was the last time they would speak.
“I told him ‘Please don’t drink and drive,’” Jason Coffman recalled through tears. “And the last thing I said was, ‘Son, I love you.’
“That was the last thing I said. I just want him to know that he’s going to be missed … (He leaves) a legacy of love, of laughter.”
Coffman recalled coaching his son’s baseball teams from age 3 through high school, and remembered Cody as his “fishing buddy.” The son was about to join the Army, a lifelong dream that will go unfulfilled.
“I cannot believe this is happening in my family,” continued Coffman, leaning on his fatherin-law for support Thursday. “I am speechless and heartbroken. I am spent.”
Jason, wearing a gray Los Angeles Dodgers baseball cap, said his son was gunned down
as he walked up to buy a round of drinks for his pals inside the jam-packed Borderline.
Cody’s friends came by the Coffman house in Camarillo, Calif., after they escaped the carnage — only to realize their friend was missing. Calls to Cody’s phone rang unanswered, and his dad reported him to police as among the missing.
An agonizing hours-long wait was ended by the more devastating news of Cody’s death.
“Oh, Cody,” his father said. “I love you, son.”
ALAINA HOUSLEY
The 18-year-old student at Pepperdine University — a 20mile drive from the Borderline Bar & Grill — was in her first semester, and ambitiously eyed a law career.
“She had such an infectious smile,” said Pepperdine President Andrew Benton. “Her light will shine on.”
The multitalented teen earned a college scholarship with her grades, while studying piano and violin. She also played soccer and tennis in high school.
Housley was the niece of former “Sister, Sister” actress Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband, ex-Fox News correspondent Adam Housley. The couple said Alaina went line dancing with friends and couldn’t escape the gunman.
“Our hearts are broken,” the couple said in a statement.
“Alaina was an incredible young woman with so much life ahead of her and we are devastated that her life was cut short in this manner.”
Her grandfather Art Housley recalled the precocious teen as bright, diligent and popular.
“She’s a really good kid,” he said through tears. “Everybody loves her.”
JUSTIN MEEK
Just six months ago, Meek, 23, graduated from California Lutheran University with a degree in criminal justice.
He was back in his old college hangout Wednesday when the shooting started, and Meek “heroically saved lives” before he was killed, said Cal Lutheran President Chris Kimball.
Meek spent the summer working with special-needs kids, where he quickly impressed his bosses.
“He really had a heart for what he did,” said Diane Gallo of Channel Island Social Services, who wept as she spoke of him.
Cal Lutheran student Scott Roberts said the murder victim’s sister still attends the school, where the chapel was filled with mourners Thursday.
“He was just the nicest dude,” said Roberts, 20. “I’m just praying he’s in a better place.”
TELEMACHUS ORFANOS
Orfanos, a 27-year-old Navy veteran who went by “Tel,” survived the Route 91 festival shooting in Las Vegas last year only to be gunned down Wednesday.
“My son was in Las Vegas with a lot of his friends and he came home. He didn’t come home last night,” his mom, Susan, told Los Angeles TV station KABC.
“I don’t want prayers. I don’t want thoughts,” she said angrily. “I want gun control, and I hope to God nobody else sends me any more prayers. I want gun control. No more guns!”
On social media, Orfanos frequently shared photos with friends — many taken at Dodgers games. Several had patriotic overlays, one with red, white and blue “FREEDOM” text and another with a 9/11 memorial.
NOEL SPARKS
The 21-year-old college student was an “all-around good girl,” said Patricia Sparks, her aunt. “She was the kind of girl that if you had friends, you’d want them to marry her.”
Sparks enrolled at Moorpark College in 2016 and worked part-time at a church, where she focused on children’s programs.
“She loved kids,” Rev. Shawn Thornton said. “We had a lot of parents show up today to say, ‘She made my child feel important and that they mattered.’”
SEAN ADLER
Adler, a married father of two sons, became a security guard at Borderline after spending time as a wrestling coach at Royal High School.
“He was positive, motivational, and truly wanted the best for the people around him,” the team wrote on Facebook.
Adler, 48, recently opened a coffee shop, a friend said.
“He was just the most passionate person about coffee you would ever want to meet,” Phil Englander said. “He always had that energetic personality. He’s just such a warm and friendly and passionate person about everything in his life.”
DAN MANRIQUE
Like the suspect, Ian David Long, Manrique was a Marine. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2007 as a radio operator and served for six years before returning home to California.
“Dan’s life was dedicated to serving others, during his military career and beyond,” said John Pinter, executive director of Team Red, White and Blue, a group that works with veterans.
Manrique, 33, was head of the Ventura chapter of the group.
“He was a very selfless person, always trying to give back, to help in any way,” his brother, Marcos, told the Washington Post. “He didn’t care about if he got hurt, as long as he was there to help people.”
Manrique’s sister, Gladys, wrote on Facebook that she believes “he died a hero, shielding others from gunshots.”