Vigil held for victims of Thousand Oaks shooting
A US Marines veteran opened fire inside a bar in Ventura County, killing at least 12 before killing himself late Wednesday night.
Read: 13 killed, including deputy and suspected bar shooter in Thousand Oaks
20-year-old Brooke Keeling details the moments the first round of shots rang out.
“The moment you hit the floor, what do you do after that? Do you stay there? Do you run,” Keeling said.
She remembers a complete stranger pulling her from the floor, breaking a window with a bar stool, and rushing her to safety, all while trying to call her parents. A phone call her parents say they could’ve never prepared for. The family reunited at a nearby gas station before rushing Keeling to the hospital with minor injuries.
The Keeling family brought flowers to tonight’s vigil at Thousand Oaks city hall, paying respects to the other survivors and the 12 lives lost.
“It could’ve been her. We’re so sorry for all the families, were so, so sorry,” Carrie Keeling said.
City leaders said they expected 10,000 people to come to tonight’s vigil but from those at the vigil said they felt that number was way higher. Two theaters were at full capacity and hundreds more gathered at a makeshift memorial nearby.
“We’ll rebuild and we’ll be a family again, and everyone clearly is here to support each other,” one attendee said.
Earlier today, KESQ & CBS Local 2’s Lauren Coronado was at the reunification center where some families received the unimaginable news they’ve been dreading to hear while others thankful to be reunited with loved ones.
Lenee Dahl was at the reunification center and said she still doesn’t have answers as to what happened to a close family friend of hers. She said the young girl is a student at Pepperdine University.
“She was there for college night, like everybody else and the wrong place, wrong time. I can’t even talk I’m so choked up just to see this much pain, a senseless act. this guy should have had help,” Dahl said.
Flags throughout Thousand Oaks are at half-staff as roads remain closed off where investigations are underway at ‘Borderline Bar and Grill.”
The red cross brought food, water, snacks to families who are faced with this tragedy.
Download the KESQ & CBS Local 2 app on iTunes or Google Play for up-to-the-minute breaking news alerts & more
More: I-Team and Stands for You investigations
Find us on Facebook: KESQ News Channel 3 & CBS Local 2
Follow us on Twitter for breaking news updates: @KESQ & @Local2
We’re on Instagram! @KESQ_News_Channel_3 & @CBSLocal2
Noticias en español: Telemundo 15
