Shooting in Crowded California Bar on 'College Night' Claims 12 Lives

A gunman killed 12 people in a Thousand Oaks, Calif., club Wednesday night, including a sheriff's deputy, according to law enforcement.

Sheriff Geoff Dean said a gunman threw smoke bombs into the Borderline Bar & Grill -- located in Ventura County, north of Los Angeles -- and started shooting bullets into a crowd of hundreds, as reported by theLos Angeles Times.

Two law enforcement officers entered the bar but were met with gunfire. Sheriff's Sgt. Rob Helus suffered gunshot wounds and died at the hospital this morning.

The shooter, identified by law enforcement as 28-year-old Ian David Long, died at the scene as well.

Officials have not yet suggested a motive for the attack.

"It doesn't matter how safe your community is, it doesn't matter how low your crime rate is -- there are people who just don't think properly everywhere," Dean said.

The shooting in many ways recalled the tragic Pulse shooting in Orlando in 2016. Pulse survivor Brandon Wolf, now a prominent gun control activist, this morning commented on the deaths.

"12 more dead in an American war zone," he wrote on Facebook.

Calls started coming in to 911 around 11:20 p.m. Police believe the shooter used a handgun in the attack.

The LA Times reports investigators believe the shooter drove to the bar in his mother's car.

Witnesses said the shooter wore a black shirt and hat, and also wore sunglasses. They say he began firing at the front of the club.

CNN described Borderline as a "dance bar."

Donald Trump said on social media he had been briefed on the shooting.

"God bless all of the victims and families of the victims," Trump wrote on Twitter. "Thank you to Law Enforcement."

The shooting renewed calls for gun control. U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, whose district includes the site of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, criticized inaction on the issue to CNN.

"Even though it's become a weekly thing, nobody does anything, especially the Congress where I work," he said.