The veteran California police sergeant who was gunned down as he charged into a crowded bar to stop the Thousand Oaks massacre was killed by\u2026<\/b>
\nThe veteran California police sergeant who was gunned down as he charged into a crowded bar to stop the Thousand Oaks massacre was killed by friendly fire, according to a new report.
Autopsy results revealed that Sgt. Ron Helus was struck by six bullets inside the Borderline Bar and Grill \u2014 five fired by the gunman, Ian David Long, and one by a California Highway Patrol officer, local station KTLA 5 reported.
The shots fired by the gunman \u201ccaused serious injuries but potentially survivable injuries,\u201d chief medical examiner Chris R. Young told the outlet.
But the sixth bullet \u2014 which struck Helus in the heart \u2014 was recovered during surgery at the hospital after the shooting. FBI analysis found that bullet to be a rifle round fired by a Highway Patrol officer who had gone into the bar with Helus.
\u201cThis is sad news and a tragedy, but ultimately this was the most severe injury sustained,\u201d Young said.
\u201cWe know that Ventura County Sheriff\u2019s Sgt. Ron Helus and a CHP officer bravely entered the bar together, engaged the suspect who was lying in wait before officers arrived,\u201d L. D. Maples, a chief with the California Highway Patrol\u2019s Coastal Division, said in a statement issued to the station. \u201cWhile Sgt. Helus and the officer\u2019s actions prevented the suspect from killing more people, tragically during the fierce but brief firefight that ensued, a round fired by our officer toward the suspect did strike Sgt. Helus.\u201d
Twelve people died in the massacre at the popular college bar, including a US Navy vet, a Pepperdine student, the bar\u2019s bouncer and one of the on-duty busboys and food runners.
There\u2019s no evidence that any of the other victims were struck by officers\u2019 gunfire, according to the report.
\u201cIt is important to remember that the horrific circumstances at the Borderline Bar and Grill on that Wednesday night, exactly one month ago today, were caused by the evil action of one individual: the man who murdered 12 people and injured 22 others,\u201d Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub said at a Friday news conference, according to the station. \u201cHe alone created the violence and he alone bears the responsibility for his course of action.\u201d
Long died of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.<\/p>\n