The man who shot and killed a dozen people in a Thousand Oaks bar has been identified as 28-year-old Ian David Long of Newbury Park.
The Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said in a press conference Thursday morning that investigators had learned Long was a military veteran and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. Authorities believe Long died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The sheriff said Long was found dead in an office nearby the entrance to the Borderline Bar and Grill.
Authorities said when Long went into the bar, he turned right and fired at employees. They do not know if he was specifically targeting employees and are currently looking for a motive. Deputies are waiting to receive a search warrant for Long’s home.
Dean says his department had several previous contacts with the former Marine including a call to his home in April, when deputies found him acting irate and irrationally.
The sheriff says a mental health crisis team was called at that time and concluded that Long did not need to be taken into custody.
Dean says the other prior encounters were a traffic accident and an incident when he was the victim of a battery at a bar several years ago, although authorities have not said where that incident happened.
Dean said he and investigators believe the shooting was pre-meditated and was not random.
Long was armed with some sort of a smoke device, a Glock 21 – .45 caliber handgun with an extended magazine. Sheriff Dean said investigators are not able to determine how many rounds Long had loaded in the handgun.
Long shot 12 people when he entered the bar, including sheriff’s Sgt. Ron Helus.
Sheriff Dean told the press Helus was on the phone to his wife when he got the call about the active shooter and had to hang up with her.
It was “college country night” at the bar, popular with students from nearby California Lutheran University, Moorpark College and Pepperdine University. Many young people are believed to be among the dead and injured.
About a dozen people were injured but the exact number and severity of injuries is unclear because the victims were taken to various area hospitals for treatment.
Law enforcement expect to be on scene all day Thursday investigating.
This is a developing story. Stay with KSBY for updates.
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