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IAN David Long, a former US Marine who served in Afghanistan, has been named as the gunman who carried out a deadly mass shooting in California, leaving a dozen people dead.

The attack was yet another horrific mass shooting to take place in the US in 2018. Here's more about the man behind the attack.

 Ian David Long died in a shootout with cops at the Borderline Bar, shortly after he killed a cop
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Ian David Long died in a shootout with cops at the Borderline Bar, shortly after he killed a cop

Who is Ian David Long?

The shooting suspect was identified as war veteran and former Marine Ian David Long, who is understood to have suffered from PTSD.

Long carried out his attack armed with a handgun and smoke grenades.

The 28-year-old tattooed suspect was wearing a black trenchcoat and a ski mask when he stormed the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, which was packed with students.

Long died following a shootout with cops at the bar, shortly after he gunned down police officer Ron Helus.

The Afghanistan veteran's body was found at the scene after he apparently turned his weapon on himself.

Police raided the killer’s home on Thursday morning following his deadly attack.

Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said Long was a US Marine Corps veteran who had served active duty between 2008 and 2013.

Following the attack, those who knew Long described him as a "loner" while one neighbour told Long's mother had "lived in fear" of what her son might do.

 The shooting suspect was identified as war veteran and former Marine who suffered from PTSD, Ian David Long
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The shooting suspect was identified as war veteran and former Marine who suffered from PTSD, Ian David Long

What else do we know about him?

The troubled gunman opened fire in his "local bar" almost exactly five years after he divorced his wife.

The ex-marine officially split from Stavroula Tzavaras on November 14, 2013 - the virtual anniversary of the date he opened fire at the Borderline Bar.

The couple married in 2009 in Honolulu, but separated in 2011 and dissolved the marriage just two years later.

He told the courts he and his then-wife had no children and owned no property.

The 28-year-old later enrolled in university and moved into a home with his mother Colleen and three German shepherds in the quiet suburb of Newbury Park.

It has been reported that his mother "lived in fear" of him going off the rails, following claims that he suffered PTSD.

In April 2018, police were reportedly summoned to the home after a bullet had been fired through one of the walls.

The street was blocked off, and police spent hours trying to get Long to peacefully come outside.

Ventura County deputies and mental health specialists were dispatched to the house to deal with the incident.

 An FBI agent surveys the scene in California following Ian David Long's attack on November 8
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An FBI agent surveys the scene in California following Ian David Long's attack on November 8Credit: AP:Associated Press

How many victims were killed or injured at the Thousand Oaks shooting?

Twelve people were killed including a Ventura Country Sheriff's deputy.

Witnesses told ABC News that Long fired several shots from a handgun into the crowd before tossing a smoke grenade and starting to fire again.

John Hodge told  he saw the suspect throwing smoke grenades into the front of the restaurant after shooting a security guard.

John, who was 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.”

John’s stepdad Tom described seeing the shooter firing at a “young girl.”

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.”

Moment gunshots heard as shooting suspect Ian David Long 'carried out massacre' in Thousand Oaks, California
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