12 killed & multiple injured in California bar shooting, terrorism ‘not ruled out’

SWAT officers, FBI and ambulances rushed to the scene following the rampage. A bomb squad has been requested as well. It is understood that approximately 30 shots have been fired. Ventura County Sheriff’s Dept. Sheriff Geoff Dean told a press conference that at least 12 victims have been confirmed killed by the gunman. 

Among the dead was a 29-year police veteran, Ron Helus, who along with a Highway Patrol officer were the first responders to the scene. Dean said Helus was expected to retire in the next year.

A further 10-15 people are also believed to have received injuries, sustained either from the gunman’s bullets or hurt while they tried to escape. Police are working to identify the shooter and a possible motive for the attack, with terrorism not yet ruled out. The perpetrator was said to be a “bearded” man in his early 20s wearing all black clothing.

“When deputies arrived they heard shots being fired, it was an active shooter situation,” Ventura County Sheriff's office spokesman Eric Buschow said.

Witnesses describing the moment the gunman opened fire said the man first shot the bar’s security guard at the door with a handgun. The alleged perpetrator then threw smoke bombs into the bar and continued shooting.

Some of the people fled to a nearby gas station to safety, with reports saying people broke the glass of windows in an attempt to escape the rampage.

Those who couldn’t escape the building took refuge in in restrooms and even crawl spaces in the attic, according to police.

One witness known as Tim, who was with his stepson at the time of the shooting told ABC7: "There were just young people, 18, 19, 20, just having a great time. And then this maniac came in and started shooting people for no reason at all.”

Another, who escaped through the front door after the shooting started described other people’s attempts to flee the gunman.

“I ran out the front door. I hear chairs being thrown out the window, people were trying to get out the window.”

“There was probably 12 shots before I got out the front door.”

Wednesday night’s attack is the latest in a string of mass shootings to have struck the US in the last two weeks. On October 27, 11 people were killed and a further seven injured after a gunman opened fire on worshippers in a Pittsburgh synagogue.

However, the deadliest mass shooting occurred last year, on October 1, after 62-year old Stephen Paddock opened fire from the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas on a nearby country music festival. Paddock murdered 58 people and wounded hundreds of others. He was found dead in the hotel room by police.

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