IN HIS SIGHTS
California shooting – terrifying moment Ian David Long opens fire on clubbers trying to escape through windows at Thousand Oaks bar, killing 12
THIS is the terrifying moment an ex-Marine rained bullets onto clubbers as they tried to escape through the windows of a California bar.
Troubled ex-machine gunner Ian David Long, 28, was wearing a black trenchcoat and ski mask when he unleashed 30 bullets in the shooting spree, killing at least 12.
40
During the chilling 38-second clip what appears to be a gun's bright green laser scope is seen flashing against the darkened walls of the Borderline Bar & Grill.
The video - posted on Instagram by Dallas Knapp - also captures the sickening sound of multiple shots being fired inside the bar followed by footage of at least one person fleeing the scene.
Mr Knapp wrote: “I looked him in he eyes while he killed my friends. I hope he rots in hell for eternity. "The guy you see is the murderer and the shots are him shooting the wounded on the ground.”
The man he refers to appears to be the shadowy figure lurking at the back of the popular club's dance floor.
40
40
Long, 28, stormed the bar to unleash a hail of bullets in a two-and-a-half minute killing spree before turning his high-powered gun on himself.
On the video glasses can be heard smashing to the floor as one reveller is heard shouting "run..he's coming out of the door."
One of those inside the bar - who called himself Cole - said the shooter looked “just like another guy coming in.”
When shots rang out, Cole said he corralled as many people as possible behind a pool table, and helped them escape through the smoking patio and into the parking lot.
Others tearfully recounted being pulled down, thrown under tables, and through windows to get them out of the line of fire,
“Then these incredible humans just jumped up and started smashing out the windows and everybody was just like, jump, because we were trapped,” one survivor said.
40
“We were completely trapped on that side, so we jumped two storeys to the ground.”
Other footage captured the moment around 200 terrified revellers - including many students - fled the venue as multiple shots are heard ringing out in the background.
Cops were first alerted to violence at 11.20pm local time last night when Long shot a security guard and a young female cashier after throwing smoke grenades around the bar to create confusion.
Screaming in fear, youngsters attending a student night at the club, rushed for the exits, dived under tables, shouted "get down!" and used bar-stools to smash second-floor windows and jump to safety as gunfire erupted.
Survivors said he looked "like he knew what he was doing" as he methodically fired his legally purchased Glock .45 handgun - said to have been modified to hold more rounds.
The extended magazine - which is illegal in California- allowed the gun to carry more than its typical 11-bullet capacity.
Moment gunshots heard as shooting suspect Ian David Long 'carried out massacre' in Thousand Oaks, California
WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR:
- Dead suspect has been confirmed as ex-marine Ian Long aged 28
- He lived nearby and neighbours said the Afghan vet had Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD)
- Cops attended Long’s home in April after a “disturbance” but he was “cleared” after reassuring officers
- The former serviceman killed 12 people and injured at least ten more after opening fire at a late-night bar in Thousand Oaks, California
- Police were called to the Borderline Bar and Grill at 11.20pm local time last night, officials have confirmed
- Police do not know what Long's motive was
- Armed with a handgun and smoke grenades, the shooter has been "engaged and neutralised" by cops, the local mayor said
- His legally purchased Glock .45 handgun is said to have been modified to hold more rounds
- Witnesses say he gunned down a security guard and a young girl working as a cashier at the venue
- He was dressed in a black trenchcoat and wore a ski mask and sunglasses, survivors said
- Police officer Ron Helus was killed in the shooting, officials said
- Revellers used chairs to break windows in the bar in a bid to escape while others reportedly hid in bathrooms
40
40
The first sheriff's deputy who first attended the scene is among the 12 victims who have been confirmed as dead.
Respected Sgt. Ron Helus reportedly also ran a business teaching gun safety to firearms owners.
He spent the evening backing up fellow deputies on calls before he was shot and killed
“He was going to every call that he could, because that’s how he was…. and rushed here to continue doing that, to continue saving lives,” Senior Deputy Julie Novak told KCBS.
Helus - who had been a cop for 29 years - was reportedly due to retire in a few months time.
Six unarmed, off-duty law enforcement officers who were at the bar stepped in to help, Novak said.
A woman whose daughter was at the bar during last night's shooting there told officials one of the officers “stood in front of her daughter — protecting her life with his own,” he added.
40
40
40
Officials said former marine Long died from a single gunshot wound after exchanging fire with police at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks - 40 minutes drive from Los Angeles.
He lived in Newbury Park, about five miles from the bar and was a former student of California State University Northridge.
Authorities hope a search of his home will provide clues about the motive.
His neighbours said Long was a veteran suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD).
One said: "I have no idea what he was doing with a gun".
Another that Long's mother “lived in fear” of what her son might do.
Richard Berge said she told him she was concerned about her son adding “she was… kind of beside herself, she didn’t know what to do because he wouldn’t get help.”
Father of California bar shooting victim Cody Coffman says 'This is a heart I will never get back'
40
Long revealed why he left the army on special forces forum
Ian David Long posted information about his military service on a special forces forum called Shadowspear in March 2017.
In his post, he said he had served in Afghanistan, was an infantry machine gunner in the US Marine Corps for four and a half years, and was an instructor in Okinawa.
Here's part of what he wrote: “I was honorably discharged in 2013. I am graduating with a B.S. in Athletic Training in two months.
"I found out a little too late that (the army) just wasn't the job for me.
"Maybe the ego got the better of me but it took only one time for a 19 year old D-2 athlete to talk down to me and tell me how to do my job that I realized this wasn't the career I wanted to head.”
During his time in the Marines, he was reportedly awarded numerous awards including two Navy Meritorious Unit Commendations, a Combat Action Ribbon, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
40
The Sun Online revealed the lone gunman opened fire almost five years to the day after he divorced.
He officially split from Stavroula Tzavaras on November 14, 2013 - the virtual anniversary of the date the former marine opened fire at the Borderline Bar.
The couple were married in 2009 in Honolulu, but separated in 2011 and dissolved the marriage juts two years later.
He told the courts he and his then-wife had no children and owned no property. Long later enrolled in university and moved into a home with his mother Colleen Long.
Blake Winnett, who claims to have shared an apartment with him in 2014, told that he was a 'loner' who used to dance alone in their garage.
"He didn’t want to help anyone do anything. He was just lazy I guess," he claimed.
"He wasn’t violent but he was mean. He would go to the gym and then he would, I guess, try to learn dance moves or something.
"He would close the garage and be playing music and dancing in there, like sweating. I would open the garage and would be like, 'What are you doing?'".
40
Witness to a bar shooting in Thousand Oaks said the suspected gunman was throwing smoke grenades and fired multiple shots
About 30 shots were said to have been fired during the rampage that last no longer than two and a half minutes.
Authorities confirmed that they attended Long’s home in April after a “disturbance” but was “cleared” after talking to officers.
Tom Hanson, 70, who lives next door to Long and his mother, she called the police six months ago when he heard "heavy-duty banging" and shouting coming from the Longs' home.
Witnesses told local TV networks including that the maniac killer had black hair and was wearing a black trenchcoat.
Located about 40 minutes drive outside of Los Angeles, Borderline is a country and western-themed bar and grill, open until 2am.
Jason Coffman, father of son who is missing after Thousand Oaks mass shooting says 'I tracked his phone, it's still at the bar'
40
The country club's 2,500 square feet dancefloor hosts a student night on Wednesdays.
A father has identified his 22-year-old son as among the 12 killed in the shooting rampage.
Jason Coffman tonight revealed his son Cody Coffman was among the victims.
He said he spoke to him just before he went to the bar Wednesday night.
Mr Coffman told his son not to drink and drive and the last thing he said to him was: “I love you.”
California Lutheran University said recent graduate Justin Meek was also among those killed.
University President Chris said the 23 year old had "heroically saved lives in the incident."
Also killed in the massacre was the niece of Sister Sister star Tamera Mowry.
40
40
40
40
40
Tamera revealed her niece Alaina Housley was one of the victims saying, "Our hearts are broken."
"We just learned that our Alaina was one of the victims of last night's shooting at Borderline Bar in Thousand Oaks.
"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."
Witness Bryce Viole, 19, told The Sun Online how the 6ft tall gunman was dressed in black and had a ski mask on the lower half of his face.
The student told how he suffered several injuries after jumping head first out of a glass window to escape the carnage.
He said: “I looked over and saw the shooter and the gun and I just dropped to the floor and started crawling towards the window.
40
40
“He just kept firing towards the pool table area.
“I ran and dove out the window head first, I just smashed through the glass and jumped out.
"It was about a six foot drop but once I saw that gun I wasn’t messing around.”
Another survivor Teylor Whittler, whose father was in the military, told ABC that the mask-wearing shooter appeared to have some level of gun training.
She said: “He changed clips really fast. He knew what he was doing. He had perfect form.
“He wore a ski mask on the bottom half of his face.”
40
40
40
40
40
40
Aerial footage of police at the scene of reports of mass shooting in Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California
Witness John Hedge told ABC7 he saw the attacker throwing smoke grenades into the front of the venue after shooting a security guard.
John, who was stood at the front door, said: "I just started hearing these big pops. Pop, pop, pop. There was probably three or four, I hit the ground.
"I look up - the security guard is dead. Well, I don't want to say he was dead, but he was shot. He was down.
“The gunman was throwing smoke grenades all over the place.”
The distraught witness said the gunman was bearded and was wearing a black jacket, a hat and a pair of sunglasses.
John’s stepdad Tom described seeing the shooter firing bullets at the security guard and a young female staff member.
40
40
40
40
He said: “He shot the front doorman, who was just a young man.
“Then he shot the cashier, just a young girl. Then he started moving to the right. He wasn't looking at us.
“Then he went into the office, where all the cash and stuff is. He didn't say anything at all. He just started shooting.”
Police cordoned off a huge area around the Borderline Bar and Grill, lighting flares in the road to turn away traffic.
Armed officers from the Ventura County police and sheriff’s department, SWAT team and FBI patrolled the scene, while helicopters circled above.
Witness tells of desperate escape from killer
Bryce Viole, 19, told Sun Online how he jumped head first out of a glass window to escape the shooter.
Speaking outside the hospital where he had received treatment , the brave teenager described the gunman as about 6ft tall wearing all black and a baseball cap.
He said: “I looked over and saw the shooter and the gun and I just dropped to the floor and started crawling towards the window.
“He just kept firing towards the pool table area.
“I ran and dove out the window head first, I just smashed through the glass and jumped out.
“It was about a six foot drop but once I saw that gun I wasn’t messing around.
“The shooter was only four or five feet away from me.
“He was in all black with a baseball cap and I thought I saw he had a ski mask on.
“He had some smoke bombs and he threw those around the bar area but I got out pretty quick.
“I cut my ankle open and cut my whole kneecap open. My wrist is all messed up the meat part of my hand was just all hanging off.”
Tearful students huddled in blankets, behind the cordon hugging and waiting anxiously for news of their friends.
In a tweet about the mass killing, US President Donald Trump said: "I have been fully briefed on the terrible shooting in California.
"Law Enforcement and First Responders, together with the FBI, are on scene. Thirteen people, at this time, have been reported dead.
"Likewise, the shooter is dead, along with the first police officer to enter the bar."
Witness breaks down as he speaks about Thousand Oaks shooting
40
40
40
40
40
A man told ABC that his friends who were in Borderline during the attack were survivors of last year’s Las Vegas shooting at country music festival Route 91.
He said: “A lot of my friends survived Route 91. If they survived that, they will survive this.”
One teenage reveller cut his hand while breaking a window in the bar using a chair in a desperate bid to escape the shooter, reports
The parents of Jake Dunham, 21, said he was inside the bar on the night of the shooting and are appealing for information about his whereabouts, reports .
40
40
40
40
40
His family say they are unable to contact him following the massacre.
Thousands Oaks mayor Andy Fox confirmed to KTLA that the killer had been "engaged and neutralised" by police officers.
He asked people to pray for the victims and said it's "going be a long night for the local families."
MOST READ IN NEWS
At nearby Los Robles hospital, where many of the injured were taken, youngsters with treated gunshot wounds and other wounds waited outside to be picked up by loved ones.
One woman at the medical facility broke down in tears after hearing her daughter was among the dead.
Thousand Oaks is one of the least dangerous towns in America, according to FBI statistics.
It was ranked as the fourth safest among cities with a population greater than 100,000 in the US by the FBI's 2013 Uniform Crime Reports.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours
Topics