Borderline Bar Shooter Fired 50 Rounds, Was Armed With Hundreds Of Bullets
THOUSAND OAKS (CBSLA) — A clearer picture of the shooter who killed 12 people inside a Thousand Oaks bar has emerged three weeks after the shooting, but authorities still don't have a motive for the attack.
Ian David Long, 28, a Marine Corps veteran, turned the gun on himself after killing 12 people, including Ventura County sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus, at the Borderline Bar Grill on Nov. 7. The bar had been hosting its weekly a college country music and line dancing night.
Long was armed with just one gun that night – a Glock .45-caliber handgun. But he had seven high-capacity, 30-round clips on him – a total of 230 bullets. He also had a flashlight with a laser sight, Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub said.
"After shooting the victims inside the bar, the suspect positioned himself in preparation for the law enforcement response," Ayub said. "Sgt. Helus and a CHP officer both entered the bar within minutes, and began searching with their rifles. The suspect ambushed the officers almost immediately from a position of tactical advantage. Both officers returned fire with multiple rounds, however, they did not strike the suspect."
Helus was hit by gunfire, and was dragged out of the bar by the CHP officer to wait for backup. The 29-year veteran of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department died at Los Robles Hospital. He had been considering retiring from the force within a year.
The medical examiner said most of the victims were shot at close range, and that all of them had died quickly and could not have survived their wounds.
The victims included Alaina Housely, 18, a Pepperdine University freshman and niece of actress Tamera Mowry; 22-year-old Cody Coffman, who was getting ready to join the Army; Justin Meek, 23, a recent Cal Lutheran graduate; Sean Adler, the owner of Rivalry Roasters in Simi Valley; 21-year-old Noel Sparks, a Moorpark College student; Kristina Morisette, 20, who had been working as the cashier at the front door of the bar that night; Jake Dunham, 21, of Newbury Park; his friend 21-year-old Blake Dingman; Telemachus Orfanos, 27, who had just survived the Las Vegas mass shooting a year ago; and 33-year-old Daniel Manrique, a Marine Corps veteran who was helping veterans adjust to civilian life.
Authorities say they still have no motive for the shooting.
