University freshman Cole Knapp was talking with friends inside the Borderline Bar and Grill in the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks when he saw a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/california-shooting-suspect-david-long-was-a-decorated-marine-veteran-176285">man dressed in black</a> reach towards the counter by the door as if he was paying his cover charge.

"I just kind of saw it in the corner of my eye and I heard a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ex-marine-apparently-acted-alone-in-california-bar-shooting-fbi-176302">gunshot</a> and I focused on him and I saw that he was holding a handgun and he continued to shoot at the girl at the front desk," Knapp, 19, told Reuters TV.

It was sometime after 11pm PST on Wednesday night when Ian David Long, a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/americas/at-least-6-injured-in-shooting-at-bar-in-thousand-oaks-california-176182">28-year-old former US Marine</a>, walked into the Western-themed bar on "College Country Night" and fired off round after round seemingly at random from his .45 caliber Glock handgun equipped with a high-capacity magazine.

Knapp, a student at nearby Moorpark College, ducked behind a pool table with a few other people, he said, even as some patrons kept line dancing, apparently unaware of the gunfire around them.

He bolted toward an exit onto a smoking patio, filled with more people who hadn`t heard the gunshots over the loud music "and I told them get over that fence and just run."

A SWAT team from the Ventura County Sherrif's Department, arrived within minutes, along with the FBI and other officers to find the bar strewn with bodies, survivors huddling in terror, and others desperately trying to get out.

"They found people hiding in restrooms, people hiding in attics," Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. Other witnesses described people using bar stools to break windows and escape.

Alexis Tait, 23, said she heard what sounded like firecrackers going off until she saw her friend Kristina Kaylee Morisette fall to the floor - one of a dozen people the gunman killed.

Tait, who says she's a regular at the bar, then saw people huddled by a mirror and window and fled there.

“We were all bodies on top of each other and as soon as we saw him (the shooter) walk ... into the other part of the bar, everyone bolted as fast as they could to get out,” Tait said.

Tait said she also saw people break windows with bar stools and jump out.

“We all just trampled and tried to get out,” Tait said. “All we could think about was like we need to get out.”

University freshman Cole Knapp was talking with friends inside the Borderline Bar and Grill in the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks when he saw a man dressed in black reach towards the counter by the door as if he was paying his cover charge.

University freshman Cole Knapp was talking with friends inside the Borderline Bar and Grill in the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks when he saw a man dressed in black reach towards the counter by the door as if he was paying his cover charge. "I just kind of saw it in the corner of my eye and I heard a gunshot and I focused on him and I saw that he was holding a handgun and he continued to shoot at the girl at the front desk," Knapp, 19, told Reuters TV. It was sometime after 11pm PST on Wednesday night when Ian David Long, a 28-year-old former US Marine, walked into the Western-themed bar on "College Country Night" and fired off round after round seemingly at random from his .45 caliber Glock handgun equipped with a high-capacity magazine. Knapp, a student at nearby Moorpark College, ducked behind a pool table with a few other people, he said, even as some patrons kept line dancing, apparently unaware of the gunfire around them. He bolted toward an exit onto a smoking patio, filled with more people who hadn`t heard the gunshots over the loud music "and I told them get over that fence and just run." A SWAT team from the Ventura County Sherrif's Department, arrived within minutes, along with the FBI and other officers to find the bar strewn with bodies, survivors huddling in terror, and others desperately trying to get out. "They found people hiding in restrooms, people hiding in attics," Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. Other witnesses described people using bar stools to break windows and escape. Alexis Tait, 23, said she heard what sounded like firecrackers going off until she saw her friend Kristina Kaylee Morisette fall to the floor - one of a dozen people the gunman killed. Tait, who says she's a regular at the bar, then saw people huddled by a mirror and window and fled there. “We were all bodies on top of each other and as soon as we saw him (the shooter) walk ... into the other part of the bar, everyone bolted as fast as they could to get out,” Tait said. Tait said she also saw people break windows with bar stools and jump out. “We all just trampled and tried to get out,” Tait said. “All we could think about was like we need to get out.”

'We all just trampled', California bar shooting survivor recalls

A gunman barged into a large, crowded Los Angeles-area country music bar and dance hall and opened fire late Wednesday, wounding at least 11 people including a police officer, US police said.

The venue in a quiet, upscale residential suburb was hosting an event for college students, with possibly several hundred young people in attendance, Captain Garo Kuredjian of the Ventura County Sheriff's office said.

Witnesses told CNN the attacker had a large handgun, wore a black trench coat and glasses and threw smoke grenades inside the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks.

Kuredjian said at around 0915 GMT that the shooter was still confined inside the premises, adding that he did not know if he had been subdued or shot.&nbsp;

TV footage showed SWAT teams surrounding the bar, with distraught revellers milling around and using their cell phones as lights from police cars flashed.

Holden Harrah, a young man who saw the incident, cried as he told CNN that a place where he goes every week to have fun with friends had been a scene of carnage.&nbsp;

"A gentleman walked in the front door and shot the girl that was behind the counter. I don't know if she is alive," he said.

Police who responded to reports of a shooting rushed to the scene and engaged the gunman, said Kuredjian.

A deputy sheriff is among the 11 wounded and the injury toll could rise, he added.

The Los Angeles Times quoted a law enforcement official as saying at least 30 shots had been fired.

An unnamed witness told the newspaper that someone ran into the bar around 11:30 pm and started shooting what looked to be a black pistol.

"He shot a lot, at least 30 times. I could still hear gunshots after everyone left," the Times quoted the man as saying.

A gunman barged into a large, crowded Los Angeles-area country music bar and dance hall and opened fire late Wednesday, wounding at least 11 people including a police officer, US police said.

A gunman barged into a large, crowded Los Angeles-area country music bar and dance hall and opened fire late Wednesday, wounding at least 11 people including a police officer, US police said. The venue in a quiet, upscale residential suburb was hosting an event for college students, with possibly several hundred young people in attendance, Captain Garo Kuredjian of the Ventura County Sheriff's office said. Witnesses told CNN the attacker had a large handgun, wore a black trench coat and glasses and threw smoke grenades inside the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks. Kuredjian said at around 0915 GMT that the shooter was still confined inside the premises, adding that he did not know if he had been subdued or shot. TV footage showed SWAT teams surrounding the bar, with distraught revellers milling around and using their cell phones as lights from police cars flashed. Holden Harrah, a young man who saw the incident, cried as he told CNN that a place where he goes every week to have fun with friends had been a scene of carnage. "A gentleman walked in the front door and shot the girl that was behind the counter. I don't know if she is alive," he said. Police who responded to reports of a shooting rushed to the scene and engaged the gunman, said Kuredjian. A deputy sheriff is among the 11 wounded and the injury toll could rise, he added. The Los Angeles Times quoted a law enforcement official as saying at least 30 shots had been fired. An unnamed witness told the newspaper that someone ran into the bar around 11:30 pm and started shooting what looked to be a black pistol. "He shot a lot, at least 30 times. I could still hear gunshots after everyone left," the Times quoted the man as saying.

At least 11 injured in shooting at bar in Thousand Oaks, California

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'We all just trampled', California bar shooting survivor recalls

At least 11 injured in shooting at bar in Thousand Oaks, California