Two individuals are currently in critical condition at a hospital on Thursday, while four others are recovering from injuries sustained in a shooting that took place at a renowned biker bar in Trabuco Canyon. The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of three people. The gunman, who was identified as a retired Ventura County Police Department sergeant, was fatally shot by responding sheriff’s deputies.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, a media briefing regarding the shooting will be held on Thursday afternoon. The specific time and location of the briefing will be announced in the morning.
“No information will be released until then,” stated the sheriff’s department in a social media post early Thursday morning. “Thank you for your patience.”
The shooting occurred around 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Cook’s Corner, located in the 19100 block of Santiago Canyon Road. Deputies at the scene shot and killed the gunman within minutes of their arrival, according to the OCSD.
Local news outlet KCAL reported that the shooter, a retired sergeant from the Ventura Police Department, opened fire during a domestic dispute with his ex-wife, who was one of the victims killed in the incident. The gunman served with the Ventura department from 1984 to 2014.
Out of the six individuals injured, five sustained gunshot wounds, confirmed Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy during a press conference on Wednesday at 11 p.m. The injuries of the sixth person remain unknown.
All six victims were transported to Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo. Two are listed in critical condition, while the remaining four are stable, as stated in a hospital statement.
Sheriff’s officials confirmed that no deputies were injured in the incident.
A man named Maurice Nolan, speaking to the Orange County Register, identified one of the victims as his daughter and the ex-wife of the shooter. She suffered a gunshot wound to the jaw according to Fox 11 news.
Videos from the scene showed multiple bodies covered with sheets outside of the bar.
During the news conference, OCSD Undersheriff Jeff Hallock stated that deputies had recovered at least one weapon believed to have been used in the shooting at the scene, and investigators were still in the process of gathering evidence. It was too early to draw specific conclusions.
“We have numerous witnesses that we need to interview, and we will continue processing the scene throughout the night,” said Hallock.
Hallock revealed that there were approximately “30 to 40 witnesses” lined up for interviews.
According to a man who was on his way to Cook’s Corner, his friends were present in the bar when the shooting occurred. He described the gunman as an older man with a gray beard wearing a light blue shirt. Fortunately, his friends were unharmed.
Upon the arrival of sheriff’s deputies and multiple ambulance crews, the surrounding streets were closed to facilitate the investigation. Orange County officials announced road closures, including Santiago Canyon Road south of Crystal Canyon Road, El Toro Road north of Ridgeline Road, and Live Oak Canyon east of El Toro/Santiago Canyon.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office posted online that they are monitoring the situation and collaborating with local officials to gather more information.
Cook’s Corner is well-known as a biker hangout and bar. Although the building is believed to date back to the late 1800s, it only began operating as a restaurant in the 1920s. The establishment is touted as “one of the most famous biker bars in Southern California.”
Last night, the bar/restaurant was offering its weekly $8 spaghetti dinner with a live band called M Street scheduled to perform at 6:30 p.m. A video posted on the band’s Instagram page showed the stage being set up with the caption, “Cook’s Corner before the onslaught!”
A witness at the scene told KTLA5 that the band was playing when gunfire erupted inside the bar. The witness saw a man with a light blue shirt holding two guns. The sound of rapid gunfire followed as the gunman moved through the bar. The shooter then ran out to the parking lot, retrieved what appeared to be a rifle or shotgun from a silver pickup truck, and resumed shooting.
Another witness recounted a gunfight between the gunman, armed with a long rifle, and sheriff’s deputies.
Shortly after the shooting, a woman who had been inside the bar posted photos on social media showing blood on the floor. She stated that the gunman fired four to six shots in her direction, but she was fortunate enough to avoid being hit.
CBS 2 reported that a pregnant woman pleaded with the gunman not to shoot her, and he spared her by telling her to flee.
Sen. Dave Min, representing Irvine, expressed his heartbreak over the incident. He stated, “Our district is one of the safest areas in the country, and yet we too are repeatedly afflicted with the scourge of mass shootings. An office park in Orange, a church in Laguna Woods, a bar in Trabuco Canyon. There is no place in America that is safe from the scourge of gun violence. There is no community unaffected. My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of the victims. We must continue our efforts to end gun violence in this country.”
Rep. Katie Porter also shared her condolences on social media, stating, “This is heartbreaking news for our Orange County community. I’m thinking of the victims and their loved ones as we await more information from law enforcement.”
Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley expressed her concerns and emphasized the need to prevent such acts of gun violence as she learned that the suspect killed his wife or ex-wife during the argument. She stated, “We must do more to prevent senseless acts of gun violence and protect survivors.”
When asked about similar events occurring in Trabuco Canyon, Undersheriff Hallock replied, “These types of shootings are not common in Orange County.”
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