Video: At least 12 killed in California bar shooting; gunman dead
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Officers said at least 30 shots had been fired, sending hundreds of panicking people toward the exits with some breaking windows to escape.
Twelve people are dead after a gunman opened fire at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California on Wednesday night, media reports said.
The shooter is also dead inside the bar, authorities said.
Ventura County Sheriff's Office Sgt Eric Buchow told the CBS affiliate in Los Angeles that there were "multiple fatalities" in the shooting and the gunman was dead inside the crowded venue in the upscale residential suburb of Thousand Oaks.
Initial reports indicated that a man had opened fire with a semi-automatic gun at about 11.20 pm.
Officers said at least 30 shots had been fired, sending hundreds of panicking people toward the exits with some breaking windows to escape.
According to CNN reports, the bar is a few miles from California Lutheran University and is a popular spot for students on such nights. The western-style bar hosts theme nights such as country, salsa and swing dancing.
Thousand Oaks is in Ventura County, about 40 miles from downtown Los Angeles.