Ex- marine kills 12 in California bar
■ No sign of motive, or any terror link ■ Gunman shoots self
A 28- year- old former Marine opened fire in a California country music bar packed with college students, killing 12 people including a police officer as dozens of terrified youngsters stampeded towards the door, authorities said Thursday.
The gunman — who apparently killed himself — stepped into the Borderline Bar and Grill around 11: 20 pm Wednesday and coolly began shooting, witnesses said, unleashing pandemonium as terrified patrons scrambled to escape.
“He had perfect form,” bar patron Teylor Whittler told Fox News.
“He looked like he knew what he was doing, he had practiced.”
Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told a news conference the suspect had been identified as Ian David Long, a veteran of the US Marine Corps.
He was found dead at the bar in Thousand Oaks, California, an upscale city northwest of Los Angeles.
Dean said authorities so far had no indication of a motive, or of any connection to terrorism. He said the victims were apparently targeted at random.
“We believe he shot himself,” said Dean, who earlier described it as a “horrific scene.”
A US Marine veteran dressed in black sprayed bullets inside a crowded dance bar popular with college students Wednesday night, killing at least 12 people, including a police officer, in Thousand Oaks city in California, in one of the “horrific” mass shooting incidents in the US.
The gunman, who also injured nearly two dozen others, was found dead inside the Borderline Bar and Grill on the outskirts of Los Angeles.
Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean identified the gunman as 28- year- old Ian David Long, a US Marine Corps veteran, who used a .45 caliber Glock handgun during the shooting.
Long, who shot himself, was dead when officers made entry into the bar, Mr Dean said as he described the shooting incident as “horrific”.
“It’s a horrific scene in there, there is blood everywhere and the suspect is part of that,” he said.
He said the motive of the shooter is still unclear. He was known to authorities for minor crimes.
The shooter was on active duty with the US Marine Corps from August 2008 to March 2013, according to the department of defence records.
Authorities had “minor” run- ins with Long in the past, Mr Dean said, citing few incidents.
“We have had several contacts with Long over the years, minor events, a traffic collision,” Mr Dean said, adding that deputies were called to his house for a disturbance in April this year and “felt he might be suffering from post- traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD).”
Twenty- one people wounded in the shooting were treated and released from area hospitals, according to the Ventura County sheriff ’ s office.
President Donald Trump said that he has been “fully briefed on the terrible shooting in California”.
“Law Enforcement and First Responders, together with the FBI, are on scene. 13 people, at this time, have been reported dead. Likewise, the shooter is dead, along with the first police officer to enter the bar. Great bravery shown by police. California Highway Patrol was on scene within 3 minutes, with first officer to enter shot numerous times. That Sheriff ’ s Sergeant died in the hospital. God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. Thank you to Law Enforcement,” Mr Trump said in a series of tweets.
In memory of victims, Mr Trump in a proclamation ordered that the flag of the US shall be flown at half- staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds.
The hooded gunman burst into the bar around 11.20 pm ( local time) entirely dressed in black.
Ventura County sheriff ’ s department Sgt. Ron Helus and a California highway patrol officer entered the bar first and were met with gunfire from the suspect, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing officials.
Helus was shot several times and succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.
He was planning to retire next year after a 29- year stint with the sheriff ’ s department, Mr Dean said.
Helus, who died “a hero”, is survived by a son and his wife, whom he called before entering the bar, Dean added.
It was the second mass shooting in the US within two weeks.
“We have no idea if there is a terrorism link to this or not. As you know, these are ongoing investigations and that information will come out as soon as we are able to determine exactly who the suspect was and what motive he might have had for this horrific event,” Mr Dean added.
Citing witnesses, the paper said that people ran for cover when shooting started. Some people tried to break windows using chairs to escape the building while some hid in bathrooms.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force has been rushed to the scene, according to an agency spokeswoman. Representatives from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives were also dispatched.