Ventura County Sheriff’s Office
Ron Helus died a hero following a mass shooting at Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California. According to reports, Helus, who was the Ventura County Sheriff Sergeant, was responding to shots fired inside of the country-themed bar on “College Night” when he was the first to confront the suspected gunman.
Helus was shot when he entered the building and died from his wounds. He was one of 12 victims who were fatally shot.
“Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff’s sergeant, he was totally committed. He gave his all. And tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero because he went, he went in to save lives, to save other people’s lives,” Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said, via CBS News.
Helus was a 29-year veteran of the department and was less than a year away from retirement.
Our deepest condolences go out to everyone impacted by the tragedy.
Where Is Borderline Bar & Grill?
Google Maps
Borderline Bar & Grill is located in Thousand Oaks, California, which is in Ventura County in Southern California. The award-winning bar has been open in Thousand Oaks since 1993 after initially opening its doors in the late 80’s in Malibu. Thousand Oaks is the second-largest city in Ventura County.
It was “College Night” at the bar when the shooting occurred. Students from California Lutheran University and Pepperdine University were reportedly in the venue when shots broke out.
On Wednesday nights, the bar opens its doors to anyone 18 and older for a night of dancing.
Borderline Bar & Grill is a country-themed bar that is known for it’s large dance floor, according to ABC News.
“With over 2,500 square feet of wide open dance floor, Borderline has provided a haven for country line dancing folks of all ages equipped with pool tables,” the website said. “Over the years, Borderline has hosted many legendary performances such as The Beach Boys, John Rich, Collin Raye, Mark Chesnutt, Lee Brice, Adam Carolla & Tyler Farr to name a few.”