California shooting: First victims named from Thousand Oaks bar massacre police identify gunman as Ian David Long
Twelve victims gunned down include Justin Meek, 23, Alaina Housley, 18, Cody Coffman, 22 and Sheriff's Sergeant Ron Helus
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Your support makes all the difference.Details are emerging of the identities of victims after at least 12 people were killed and around a dozen more injured in a mass shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California.
The shooting began late Wednesday night in the Borderline Bar & Grill, sending people diving under pool tables and other furniture for cover. Witnesses and victims said that stools were thrown through windows to enable bar patrons to get away from the hail of bullets.
A college country music night was underway when the gunman - dressed in black - shot a security guard who was standing outside the bar before entering. Witnesses suggested a smoke grenade may have been thrown.
Officials identified Ian David Long, of nearby Newbury Park, California, as the suspected shooter. Long was killed at the bar, and police said he carried out the massacre with a legal .45-calibre handgun that he had fitted with an extended magazine illegal in California. He had apparently shot himself.
Police first began identifying victims of the Thousand Oaks attack less than 12 hours after the gunman’s last shot rang out, including Sergeant Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. In a press conference on Thursday, Mr Dean praised the work of his office — including the sacrifice from Mr Helus — for working fast in response to the shooting at the packed college night bar. At least five off-duty law enforcement officers helped to protect people.
Cody Coffman, 22, was also killed, according to his father Jason. Mr Coffman broke down as he told reporters how his last words to his son as he went out that night were not to drink and drive and that he loved him. He added: “Oh Cody, I love you son.”
The family of 23-year-old Justin Meek said he was also killed, according to California Lutheran University President Chris Kimball, who said in a statement that Mr Meek ”heroically saved lives”.
Another victim, Alaina Housley was just 18, and was a promising student at Pepperdine University with plans to study law, her family said.
Other victims include Noel Sparks who was a youth camp leader and Moorpark College student. The death was announced by United Methodist Church Westlake Village. "It is with heavy hearts that we notify you that Noel Sparks was among the victims of last night's shooting. We grieve with Tony Sparks and Wendy Anderson," the church said in a statement.
Daniel Manrique, 33, was a Marine veteran and focused on helping other veterans adjust to civilian life, according to friends. “I have no doubt that he died a hero, shielding others from gunshots. He will forever be our hero, son, brother, and the best uncle anybody could ever ask for,” Gladys Manrique Kosack, a family member said.
Telemachus Orfanos was identified by his mother who said the he had survived the mass shooting in Las Vegas last year. Jake Dunham and Blake Dingman, both 21, were identified by local Los Angeles outlet ABC7.
Sean Adler, a bouncer at the bar and former wrestling coach at Simi Valley High School, perished in the California shooting and was remembered by the local wrestling community.
Follow how events unfolded in our live blog below:
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A note-worth statistic from the LA Times. Counting all the mass shootings - defined as incidents in which four or more people have died - across the US since 1982, California has the most with 128.
Southern California's Borderline Bar and Grill had become a safe haven for dozens of survivors of last year's massacre at a Las Vegas country music festival, a place where they gathered for line dancing and drinks.
On Wednesday night, some of those survivors found themselves in a terrifyingly familiar scene, when bullets began flying once again.
The next couple of posts will be about their stories, gathered by the Associated Press.
Brendan Kelly, 22-year-old Marine, was one of them.
"I already didn't wish it on anybody to begin with for the first time," Kelly said Thursday outside his Thousand Oaks home. "The second time around doesn't get any easier."
Mr Kelly, a Marine, said he heard "pop, pop" and instantly knew it was gunfire.
"The chills go up your spine. You don't think it's real — again," he said.
Mr Kelly said he threw two of his friends to the floor and covered them with his body. Then he got a look at the shooter and the terror unfolding and decided they needed to escape.
Mr Kelly said he dragged one woman out a back emergency exit and then, using his belt, T-shirt and Marine training, applied a tourniquet to his friend's bleeding arm.
After the shooting was over, Mr Kelly said he and another Marine friend of his helped victims alongside first responders. Two of his friends were among those killed.
Chandler Gunn, 23, told The Los Angeles Times that a friend who survived the Las Vegas mass shooting last year works at the Borderline Bar. When Mr Gunn learned about the shooting, he rushed to Borderline.
Mr Gunn said his friend, whose name he did not provide, escaped safely out the back.
"There's people that live a whole lifetime without seeing this, and then there's people that have seen it twice," he said.
In social media posts, Molly Mauer said she was at the Borderline bar and also survived the Las Vegas mass shooting.
"I can't believe I'm saying this again. I'm alive and home safe," she said on Facebook.
Here is Bernie Sander's reaction to the shooting in California, he has called for "everything possible" be done to stop the tragedy of gun crime.
A number of other victims in the California shooting have been identified.
Daniel Manrique, 33, was a Marine veteran and focused on helping other veterans adjust to civilian life, according to friends. “I have no doubt that he died a hero, shielding others from gunshots. He will forever be our hero, son, brother, and the best uncle anybody could ever ask for,” Gladys Manrique Kosack, a family member said.
Telemachus Orfanos was identified as a victim of the California shooting by his mother who said the he had survived the mass shooting in Las Vegas last year.
Jake Dunham and Blake Dingman, both 21, were identified as victims by local Los Angeles outlet ABC7.
Sean Adler, a bouncer at the bar and former wrestling coach at Simi Valley High School, perished in the California shooting and was remembered by the local wrestling community.
“He was positive, motivational, and truly wanted the best for the people around him,” read a post on the Royal Wrestling Facebook page. “He was one of the victims last night at the shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill where he worked as a bouncer.”
We posted it earlier, but it is one of the most powerful moments from the day. A father, Jason Coffman, talks about the last words to his 22-year-old son Cody, who died in the shooting. "I love you".
Matt Wennerstrom, one of those at the Borderline bar during the shooting, said he pulled people behind a pool table, and he and friends shielded women with their bodies after hearing the shots.
When the gunman paused to reload, Mr Wennerstrom said, he and others shattered windows with barstools and helped about 30 people escape. He heard another volley of shots once he was safely outside.
"All I wanted to do was get as many people out of there as possible," he told KABC-TV. "I know where I'm going if I die, so I was not worried."
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