California bar shooting: Ex-US Marine Ian Long was the shooter
The shooter involved in Wednesday's California bar shooting, which left 12 dead, was identified as 28-year-old Ian Long, a former US Marine. The shooting took place at 11.20pm local time on Wednesday at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, around 40km from Los Angeles. At least 200 people were in the bar when the shooting happened. Here are the details.
What we know about Ian Long
According to Defense Department records, Long was on active duty from 2008 to 2013, and served in Afghanistan. In April this year, Long had a brush with the law where officers found him irate and acting irrationally. Long, a divorcee who lived with his mother, was also a regular at the Borderline Bar and Grill, and it's unknown what triggered the shooting. Police suspect it could have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Details about what went on in the bar
According to reports, Long entered the bar after shooting the bouncer, and reportedly threw a smoke grenade before he shot and killed 12 people, and injured at least 10. Long legally owned a .45 calibre Glock, which was equipped with an extended magazine that allowed him to carry more than the gun's typical 11-bullet capacity. He was found dead inside, and is believed to have killed himself.
US President Trump's reaction to the shooting
Mass murder is becoming increasingly common in the US
The shooting marked yet another incident of mass murder in the US, where countless schools, colleges, bars, and cities have experienced shootings in recent times. Shootings over the last couple of years have been some of the worse since 1991, with the the Las Vegas shooting of 2017 having claimed 58 lives, and the 2016 Orlando shooting having claimed 49 lives.
