A just-released Ventura County District Attorney’s Office report says law enforcement officers were justified in opening fire on a gunman responsible for 12 deaths in the 2018 Borderline Bar And Grill attack.
The report's findings were expected, but it provides some new details about the rampage, including how the man used the club's surveillance cameras to ambush arriving officers.
The DA’s report says the attacker was armed with a pistol, 190 rounds of ammunition, a knife, and ten smoke bombs. After fatally wounding 11 people at the Thousand Oaks club, he went into the Borderline’s office near its front door.
As the first officers reaching the scene prepared into enter, the 28-year-old Newbury Park man was able to watch them on a video monitor displaying multiple camera shots. He then ambushed them.
Ventura County Sheriff’s Sergeant Ron Helus was fatally wounded by friendly fire during the ambush, but kept firing despite his injuries. The gunman then killed himself.
The report didn’t provide any new information about what led the gunman to commit the attack. But, it notes he left a note at his home which simply said “No funeral.”
