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At Least 11 Wounded in Shooting at California Dance Hall At Least 11 Wounded in Shooting at Thousand Oaks Bar
(35 minutes later)
At least 11 people were wounded, including a sheriff’s deputy, late Wednesday in a shooting at a country and western dance venue that was holding an event for college students in Thousand Oaks, Calif., officials said. At least 11 people were wounded, including a sheriff’s deputy, late Wednesday in a shooting at a country and western dance hall in Thousand Oaks, Calif., that was holding an event for college students, officials said.
The Ventura County Fire Department said that “multiple injuries” had been reported at the Borderline Bar and Grill, and police officials said the gunman could still be at large. The gunman was dead and “multiple injuries” had been reported among patrons at the Borderline Bar and Grill, officials said, adding that there was no longer a threat to the public.
“There were shots fired at the Borderline Bar and Grill” at 11:20 p.m., said Capt. Garo Kuredjian, a spokesman for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. “As deputies responded, they also heard shots.” Additional units from the California Highway Patrol, Simi Valley and the F.B.I. responded, he said. “There were shots fired at the Borderline Bar and Grill” at 11:20 p.m., said Capt. Garo Kuredjian, a spokesman for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. “As deputies responded, they also heard shots.” Additional units from the California Highway Patrol, Simi Valley and the F.B.I. responded, he said.
“It’s an active situation,” he continued. “We can’t consider this situation under control,” he said, adding that the gunman could still be alive. The shooting at the popular country and western venue came just over a year after 58 people were killed at a country music festival in Las Vegas when Stephen Paddock opened fire from a high-rise hotel room.
Captain Kuredjian said he believed that about 100 people were inside the bar, which witnesses said was packed with young people who turned out for a college country music night. That attack — and the mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., in February — renewed the debate about the prevalence of guns in the United States and their connection to the high number of mass shootings in the country.
Captain Kuredjian said at the time of the shooting that about 100 people had been inside the bar, which was filled with young people who turned out for a college country music night.
The venue’s website says that for a quarter century, it “has stood as the Ventura County’s largest country dance hall and live music venue,” with more than 2,500 square feet of open dance space.The venue’s website says that for a quarter century, it “has stood as the Ventura County’s largest country dance hall and live music venue,” with more than 2,500 square feet of open dance space.
Video from the scene by ABC7.com showed rescue workers attending to one victim. One young woman inside the bar, Teylor Whittler, described a chaotic scene as the gunfire erupted.
A witness interviewed by ABC7.com said that the gunman had walked up to the entrance to the bar, shot a security guard and a cashier, and deployed a smoke bomb. “I saw him shoot,” she recalled, adding that someone had yelled, “Everybody get down.”
“People started running to the back door,” she said, and she heard someone shout, “Get out — he’s coming.”
She then fled the venue and heard another burst of gunfire.
A witness interviewed by ABC7.com said that the violence started when the gunman walked up to the entrance to the bar, shot a security guard and a cashier, and deployed a smoke bomb.
“I just started hearing these big pops,” said the witness, a man who was not identified. “The gunman was throwing smoke grenades.”“I just started hearing these big pops,” said the witness, a man who was not identified. “The gunman was throwing smoke grenades.”
Then, panic ensued inside the venue as people tried to flee. Then, panic ensued as people tried to flee.
“He just kept firing,” the witness said, adding that “people were trying to get out the window” to run away from the gunman, who was wearing a hat and a black jacket and had “a big handgun.”“He just kept firing,” the witness said, adding that “people were trying to get out the window” to run away from the gunman, who was wearing a hat and a black jacket and had “a big handgun.”
Video from the scene showed police units from multiple departments swarming the area. A Twitter post showed tearful young people at the scene hugging each other.Video from the scene showed police units from multiple departments swarming the area. A Twitter post showed tearful young people at the scene hugging each other.
Thousand Oaks, a relatively affluent city in Ventura County, is about 40 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, and near wealthy enclaves like Calabasas and Malibu.Thousand Oaks, a relatively affluent city in Ventura County, is about 40 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, and near wealthy enclaves like Calabasas and Malibu.